Less about projects, more about people!

The Social Responsibility Network aim to share good practice, ideas and information on a wide range of issues and provide peer support and encouragement for Christian practitioners in social responsibility.

Their next conference will be held on 30th September - 2nd October 2008 at The Thurrock Hotel and is being ably organised by Paul Trathen.

The conference, which is titled 'Less about projects, more about people!', has one of the most interesting and varied agenda's that I have seen on regeneration issues and themes. The topics include:

• Forming a theology of regeneration for this generation of new communities
• Building a legacy from the Olympics 2012
• Public art as spiritual regeneration for communities
• Policy development for Eco-Towns
• Transition Towns or How shall we live as the oil runs out?
• Innovative community-building & ministry through IT and virtual communities

In addition to these and other topics, there will also be a series of guided site visits to Stratford New Town, the Olympics Stadia and Village site, Purfleet and other parts of the Thames Gateway. The final morning on Thursday 2nd October will form a half-day conference for those in Essex and London from church circles and community partners.

I'll be speaking at the conference on the subject of public art and will be talking about and showing examples of works from the public art projects with which I have been involved. These include: Love & Light; RE:Generation; Newlands Park graffiti mural; The Cabinet of Sin & Salvation; Hertford stns; and the Advent art installation currently being prepared for churches in Redbridge.

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Deacon Blue - Your Town.