The planning group for CTE’s Forum in 2018 was determined that there would be a significant presence of young adults. Churches were therefore asked to include under-35s in their delegations and any spare places were offered first to adults under 35.
This priority was set both by the 2015 Forum and by CTE’s Directors who appointed Hilary Topp, National Co-ordinator of the Student Christian Movement, as Deputy Moderator of the 2018 Forum.
Member Churches mostly send two delegates to Forum. In 2018, they were allowed an extra place for someone under 35, as long as one of their two delegates books in as non-residential (booking a nearby hotel themselves) or one of their three bookings includes one of the few non-en-suite rooms available. (We were keen that those under 35 reside at The Hayes unless they choose otherwise.) Intermediate Bodies and Bodies in Association will similarly be allowed extra places for adults under 35.
In this way we managed to increase the numbers of young adults at Forum.
These extra places are subject to the maximum number of people the Derbyshire Hall can accommodate within fire safety regulations.
A group of young adults also led the Wednesday morning prayer on the Emmaus Road.