Displaying items by tag: United Kingdom

Eating disorders and self-harming have been rising among children and young people for a number of years. Before the pandemic there was a gradual decline in mental health among teenagers and young people, and five children in every classroom had a probable mental disorder. Between 2020 and 2022 around 3,862 thirteen- to sixteen-year-olds had eating disorders. In the same age group, 9,174 cases of self-harm were recorded. During the pandemic, prolonged access to social media, more focus on body image and less face-to-face contact may have led to feelings of low self-esteem and psychological distress, particularly among adolescent girls. Nevertheless, the NHS is currently treating more children and young people than ever before, with healthcare professionals under huge amounts of strain. Tom Quinn, director of external affairs at charity Beat, says there is a postcode lottery for care and everyone needs to get the help they need as quickly as possible.

This year’s London Tech Week focused on the need for artificial intelligence (AI) to be trustworthy and responsive to the needs of society. UK Research and Innovation has funded £50 million to create secure AI to help solve major challenges by bringing experts from different fields together. Professor Gregory O’Hare said, ‘AI offers profound opportunities, but could also be used for sinister means with financial or political implications, like boundary incursions and even wars. Will it always be used for good purpose, or is there a significant chance it will be used for Machiavellian purposes? AI is developing at a faster pace than laws can be drafted in response.’ The Irish Congress of Trade Unions said they should be involved at an early stage when addressing AI concerns as the EU AI Act is not suitable and is more than disappointing from workers’ point of view. It offers some comfort but ‘doesn’t go far enough’.

On 20 June the Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled in the favour of Christian teaching assistant Kristie Higgs who was sacked over her Facebook posts highlighting inappropriate sex education materials at her child's primary school. The judgement overturned the decision of an earlier tribunal for not properly considering Kristie's rights to freedom of belief and freedom of expression. Praise God that her solicitors secured this breakthrough and thank Him for this step forward, even though Kristie’s story isn't over yet. The case must now go back to the employment tribunal. Judge Eady apologised to the parties for the delays caused by her having to now send the case back for a re-hearing, which further delays full justice for Mrs Higgs. Pray for Christian parents to be free to raise their children in line with their Christian beliefs, and for children to be protected from transgender ideology. 

Several of Jesus' parables liken the preaching of the Gospel to the scattering of seeds, which sprout and bear fruit in due time. Our May online gatherings showed how the word of God has been scattered throughout our countryside and that shoots are sprouting up in all sorts of places. Believers are building relationships and communities centred around the good news of Jesus Christ. People of all ages are asking questions, seeking a deeper and truer meaning to life. Christians have been prepared over time, often unbeknown to them, for the people and places to which the Lord has sent them. These may be a pub, a lunch for older residents, an after-school club, a quiet garden, a bible reading group or a new church thriving in a barn through the hospitality of a farmer.

Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey wants the Government to allocate time in Parliament for discussing possible legislation on assisted suicide. Challenging the Church of England's current view, he said it was important to stop people from suffering against their wishes and argued that to do so was ‘profoundly Christian’. In a submission to MPs, he said that helping someone in great suffering to die would be an act of great generosity, kindness and human love. He claimed that legalising assisted suicide would be a reflection of a compassionate society and argued that the likes of Oregon, in the US, where it is already legal, show that it can be done successfully. Anti-euthanasia campaigners use the example of Oregon, the Netherlands, Canada and Belgium as reasons why the UK should not change the law. In 2022 half of people given doctor-assisted suicide in Oregon did so because they feared being a burden on family, friends or caregivers.

God is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. Lord, we ask for an awakening of Kingdom values and priorities across our justice system - supreme courts, family courts, Parliament, and arbitration. We pray life into every seed of Your word in the hearts of people of influence, regardless of their mindset or worldview. May your truth overrule in every judgement made. We pray for justice, protection and blessing to be experienced by all, regardless of race, colour, ethnicity, religion or background. Father, shine your light into the dark places, so that what needs to be exposed will be revealed in hearts, attitudes, actions, roots or cultures, so that evil is uprooted and true justice flourishes. May Your people move according to Isaiah 61: preaching the good news, healing the broken-hearted, and proclaiming liberty to the captives; comforting those who are mourning, healing the sick, feeding the hungry and rebuilding ancient foundations.

Throughout the summer, across the nation, thousands of people will attend country fairs and agricultural shows. These provide great opportunities to celebrate farming, food and the land and 'Britain’s rural culture’, display skill, craftsmanship and artistry, and bring town and country and young and old together. They are also opportunities to give thanks and enjoy the diverse bounties the Lord has blessed us with in this land. At many, there will be a strong Christian presence, including through services, church hospitality tents, chaplaincies and outreach ministries, and opportunities to offer prayer. Give thanks for these occasions. Pray for the witness of local churches, rural chaplaincies and organisations like Farming Christian Link.

The YMCA will continue its summer activities to entertain and feed young people and children, particularly from struggling families. It wants the Government to invest more in youth projects to avoid crime down the line and help desperate families as the long summer holidays loom. Richard James has urged churches to rally around their communities and offer similar initiatives for the children in their parishes. Experts foresee a difficult summer for families struggling with the cost of living crisis, as children will not receive free school lunches. James has seen a noticeable difference in children's experiences using the YMCA’s summer services in recent years and says it feels as if every year is another challenge. He says, ‘Some boroughs’ budgets have zero pounds per young person per head.’ In 2020, YMCA England reported a billion-pound decline in the amount of funding afforded to youth services by local authorities, with a decline of 69% since 2010. See

Data released on 8 June showed that A&Es experienced the busiest May on record, putting emergency care staff under significant pressure. Ambulance crews attended 624,092 call-outs, the highest number in a year. Alongside this, the figures show another record-breaking twelve months of cancer treatment and referrals, with more people than ever before getting checked and starting treatment. Tens of thousands of patients are set to receive a diagnosis and treatment for skin cancer faster, with accelerated NHS rollout of ‘teledermatology’, which involves taking high-spec images of spots, moles or lesions on people’s skin. NHS’s national medical director said, ‘As hospitals dealt with the most disruptive industrial action in history, average waits on waiting lists dropped to under 14 weeks - the lowest since before winter.’ In April 51,700 calls were answered daily by NHS 111.

Prince Harry has been on a collision course with the tabloid press for years - and finally he is pressing charges of phone hacking. He has said that changing the media landscape is his ‘life's work’, and this gladiatorial courtroom encounter could be one of his own defining moments. He has a single-minded determination to keep going without settling and is rich enough to take the financial hit if he loses. He has found this wasn’t like taking questions from Oprah Winfrey in a celebrity interview. He had a hostile encounter with a highly-skilled cross-examiner armed with a battery of techniques to undermine credibility. Giving evidence is daunting.