Anonymous donor gives £1.5 million to restoration of Bath Abbey
An anonymous donor has given £1.5 million in an ‘ordinary-looking envelope’ to Bath Abbey to help with its £18 million restoration scheme. The donation is the largest the Abbey has ever received from a private individual. The donor explained that the main reason behind the gift was that he was: ‘much impressed by the care and the consultation which has been put in by the Abbey, which is such a vital part of Bath's future.’ He continues by saying that: ‘This generation has a solemn duty to ensure the Abbey is fit and able to carry out its service to the city and the community for the next hundred years.’ The money will go to the Abbey's £19.3 million Footprint project, aimed at stabilising the building's collapsing floor and introducing an under-floor heating system using Bath's famous hot springs as an energy source. It will also improve the Abbey's visitor facilities.
Victory in Lowestoft sex shop case
Councillors in Lowestoft have rejected a licensing application for the opening of a Sex Entertainment Venue in the town centre. The case was supported by the Christian Legal Centre. This was the third licensing application for a Sex Entertainment Venue to be heard by Lowestoft councillors in a period of just 12 months. In February 2014, local residents expressed concern after a licence was granted for the opening of a sex club in the town, despite strong opposition from members of the Lowestoft community. After several months, it transpired that the proposed venue would no longer go ahead. However, in autumn 2014, a second application was made for the opening of a lap dancing club in the town centre, which was also rejected after residents, businesses and churches objected and three petitions were submitted. A third application was then made, this time for a sex shop in the town. But earlier this year, councillors rejected it after the Christian Legal Centre again supported local residents in opposing the plans.
Nearly half of IS Europeans are from France
While IS has had unprecedented recruiting success across the world and particularly across the western world, some countries have been easier than others. The latest estimates suggest France is easily the most significant European nation for them. The report, coming out of France’s domestic intelligence services, estimates that 1,430 French fighters are fighting for IS in Iraq and Syria, nearly half of the 3,000 Europeans they have overall. Such estimates are always a bit problematic on exact numbers, as international spy agencies have limited insight into the overall operations of IS, however, they reflect trends pretty successfully. French officials say that of the 1,430 fighters some 200 are believed to have returned to France and many are believed to be active in recruiting others or planning attacks domestically. (Pr.11:14)
Survey reveals voting priorities of Christians
A new survey of voters who identify as Christian has revealed some of the issues most likely to influence their votes in the General Election. The poll found that 90 per cent of Christians believe a party’s ‘commitment to protecting freedom of conscience’ is important. It also revealed that 81 per cent of Christians think that Britain ‘seems to be going in the wrong direction morally’. More than 60 per cent of respondents agreed that it is ‘harder to be a Christian in Britain today’ than it was in 2010 at the last General Election. More than a third agreed with the statement: ‘I would have considered voting Conservative but gay marriage has put me off doing so’. And almost 80 per cent thought that David Cameron was wrong to say that gay marriage was ‘among his proudest achievements in 2014’. 40 per cent said a party leader having a ‘personal Christian faith’ would influence their vote, rising to nearly 50 per cent when applied to their local candidate.
