‘Good News at Sefton Council’

“Join in whatever is already going on in your organisation!”  That was the advice of Ros Turner, Lead Ambassador for Transform Work UK who visited our region recently.

Ros’s role is to encourage Christians in the workplace and to promote new Christian Workplace Groups.

The event in Gladstone's ‘upper room’ in central Liverpool was attended by representatives of Sefton Council, the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR), NSG Pilkington and a music teacher. Ros shared stories of active Christian groups in Barclays Bank, in hospitals and the Royal Mail and encouraged us with numerous examples of Christians being ‘good news’ in their organisations.

Transform Work UK provide support and guidance to Christians who would like to start a group in their workplace. They offer examples of how to build a business case for your HR manager to demonstrate the value of a Christian group to your organisation (www.transformworkuk.org/resources).  

At Sefton Council we put a business case together for our group in 2015 before hosting an Alpha course and were amazed by how receptive our HR Manager was.  Official recognition has brought benefits such as being able to book rooms, advertise on the intranet and communicate freely using the Council’s email service.

In 2016 we organised a carol service jointly with the Christian group at HSE/ONR which is based nearby in Bootle.  Sefton Council Chief Executive Margaret Carney could not have been more supportive and took part in the service.  We have invited Bishop Paul to speak at this year’s service.  

In our group at Sefton Council, we reflected on Ros’s advice about “joining in whatever is already going on …”.  Perhaps we could reinstate the link between ‘dress down Friday’ and collecting food for Foodbank (people dress down, they just don’t bring food anymore!).  Maybe the group could promote an existing initiative, the Shoebox of Love appeal.  We have organised a Christians Against Poverty lunchtime workshop on 'How to celebrate Christmas without getting overdrawn'.

The possibilities are limited only by our imagination and our faith. What we do know is that God wants us to be good news to our company and amongst our colleagues.

Ros inspired those who met her at the Gladstone’s event and when she visited our group in Bootle the following day. Ros would be delighted to come back in the spring and encourage Christians in other workplaces in our region. 

If there is an active Christian group in your workplace or you would like to talk about starting one, please contact Steve Matthews on 07776 410419 or at steve.matthews@blueyonder.co.uk.

The picture shows Ros (4th from left) with the combined Sefton Council/ HSE/ ONR group in Bootle.

You can find details of the Sefton Carol Service, organised by the Sefton Council/HSE/ONR CWG,  here