Barnet Multi Faith Forum (BMFF) was honoured to be invited by Revd Dr Alec Corio — Rector of East Barnet and Inter-Faith Advisor to the Diocese of St Albans — to participate in this year’s Interfaith Week Exhibition at St Albans Cathedral.

The Diocese of St Albans, comprising over 400 Church of England parishes (including 13 within the Barnet deanery), hosted this rich exchange of dialogue and community stories in the cathedral nave – the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.

The exhibition brought together representatives from diverse faith communities across the diocese — including Welwyn Hatfield, Watford, Bushey, Barnet, Luton, and St Albans — to share how their traditions inspire acts of service and community engagement.

BMFF’s stall showcased our ongoing work on sustainability, interfaith cooperation, and community cohesion in Barnet. This included stories of our covenant with the local council, partnerships with faith and academic institutions such as Middlesex University, and collaboration with Barnet Council on green transition work toward reaching net zero by 2042. We also highlighted projects with schools, charities, and community groups across the borough.

The event opened with a warm welcome and a set of engaging questions for attendees to reflect on their values and experiences.This was followed by an interactive exhibition where participants visited stalls to share their work and inspire one another. In a spirit of mutual learning and respect, BMFF received very positive feedback. Many participants expressed how BMFF model of interfaith cooperation and environmental stewardship could serve as a powerful example for other local faith communities and interfaith groups.

The evening concluded with short reflections from speakers representing different faith traditions, who shared how they contribute to local community action.

Deeply grateful to the Bishop of Bedford, Rt Revd Richard Atkinson; the Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, Dean of St Albans; cathedral staff; Ulrike Hunt (The Feast, Luton); David Jonathan (Grassroots); Revd Dr Alec Corio; Mark Oliver; and the wider Diocese of St Albans for facilitating this meaningful interfaith gathering. We look forward to building on this momentum through further collaboration.

Event Date: Monday, 17 November 2025

BMFF stands together with our community partners in utterly condemning the hateful attack on a local synagogue and reinforces the right of all faiths to live in peace and harmony without the fear of their places of worship being desecrated.

A Barnet Multi Faith Forum (BMFF) Statement

The Lionesses have truly captured our imagination as their success has radiated well beyond stadiums, resonating deeply across communities where sport has become a powerful catalyst for social cohesion and may well act as a social glue. In Barnet, whose population is a mosaic of cultures, nationalities, and backgrounds, we have been inspired by their resilience, success, strength of character and fortitude.

The visibility of the Lionesses and Maro Itoje, the Saracens and British Lions Captain, have accelerated the breaking down of long-standing barriers, whereby old myths about gender, ethnicity and race are challenged and replaced with great stories of teamwork and mutual respect.

While the Lionesses’ success has been a catalyst for positive change, they also found the courage to stand firm and united not just against their opponents, but the irrational racial and verbal abuses they were exposed to on their triumphant European journey.

Barnet Multi Faith Forum (BMFF), with its partners, Barnet Council, Middlesex University, Blue Light Responders, Community Organisations and Asylum Groups, have all worked proactively to create safe spaces for dialogue and mutual support. Interfaith gatherings and events, peace walks and vigils, community forums and concerts, provide safe platforms for open conversation, emphasising empathy and a shared humanity above division.

The Borough's response during difficult times demonstrates how collective action and compassion can fortify communal bonds, ensuring that differences do not fracture the social fabric but rather enhance its resilience. The Lionesses’ achievements have turbocharged this spirit of connection, offering new role models to inspire solidarity and a shared purpose. They stood firm in calling out all forms of racism and hatred, we should denounce all those using racist rhetoric that seeks to divide us, welcome the stranger and advance honest dialogue.

The way forward is not an easy one, and barriers remain in access to quality facilities, lingering stereotypes, and funding disparities, but by working in partnerships together, we can build a society free from fear and deprivation, one that is fit for our returning heroes.

Signed on behalf of Barnet Multi Faith Forum (BMFF) Trustees and Executive

For further information contact

Esmond Rosen President BMFF 07977509643 esmondrosen@outlook.com