Our story
In November 2015 in the run up to the Paris Climate Conference (COP21) a walk of witness took place through the centre of Birmingham followed by an interfaith gathering that filled Bull Street Quaker meeting house. The gathering featured contributions by all six main Birmingham faith communities, Archbishop Bernard Longley read the Lambeth interfaith statement on behalf of the Birmingham Faith Leaders group and the gathering concluded with a youngster giving Steve McCabe, MP a letter for the Minister for Energy and Climate Change and copy of the Lambeth Declaration endorsed by over 300 Birmingham faith community members.
Footsteps was then formed to build on the momentum of the walk of witness and interfaith gathering incorporating bringing the Lambeth Declaration to life in Birmingham in its terms of reference. Footsteps also found an interfaith home as a project within the Birmingham Council of Faith charity.
Our work
Over the five years since the Paris Climate Conference Footsteps has hosted or participated in approaching 100 events and activities. The main themes running through Footsteps’ work are faith and values, Earth Care, community, encouragement and working with young people. You can see examples of our work for each theme on the website.
During 2021 a Footsteps’ focus will be the Glasgow Climate Conference (COP26). Our events and activities will both to raise awareness amongst faith communities of the importance of the conference and send a message to the Conference from Birmingham.
Our Steering Group
Footsteps’ work is planned and coordinated by a steering group drawn from across Birmingham’s faith communities. It currently includes:
| Toqueer Ahmed Quyyam, | Friends of the Earth link |
| Pete Doubtfire, | Website and communications, Peace Hub, |
| David Harrison, | Birmingham Progressive Synagogue |
| Sanjive Mahandru, | Arya Samajist Quaker |
| Chris Martin | Secretary & Treasurer, Quaker Climate Emergency Action |
| John Nightingale | Birmingham Anglican Climate Action |
| Shenaz Sajan, | Clifton Road Mosque, Vice Chair BCF |
| Kamran Shezad, | BAHU Trust and COP26 Civil Society & Youth Advisory group member |
| Tarang Shelat, | Hindu representative, Trustee of BCF |
| Andrew Cheffings | Buddhist representative |
| Prubhjyot Singh, | Eco Sikh |
| Ruth Tetlow | Chair, Trustee of BCF, formerly Coordinator of Birmingham Faith Encounter Programme |
Our links with other faith-based organisations
Birmingham Council of Faiths
Birmingham Council of Faiths (BCF) is Footsteps’ parent organisation.
BCF promote and maintain harmonious relations between people of different faiths in the city.
They also promote the understanding of all religions so that the followers of one religion may have a better understanding of the other religions and be alert to issues of peace, justice and tolerance in our city. Faiths include Baha’i, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism.
Within BCF, Footsteps’ particular focus is on bringing together people of faith to share our spiritual relationships with the environment, exchange ideas and take action for a low carbon future.
Birmingham Council of Faiths is a registered charity, no 1015006
Footsteps is also part of the wider national and global interfaith environmental and climate action movement, in particular we work with Faith for the Climate nationally and GreenFaith globally. Our annual Tread Lightly conference has been part Birmingham Council of Faiths’ National Interfaith Week programme.
Birmingham Faith Leaders’ group
The Birmingham Faith Leaders’ group supports Footsteps’ and Rabbi Dr Margaret Jacobi acts as our link with the faith leaders.
National and International
Footsteps is also part of the wider national and global interfaith environmental and climate action movement, in particular we work with Faith for the Climate nationally and GreenFaith globally. Our annual Tread Lightly conference has been part Birmingham Council of Faiths’ National Interfaith Week programme.
Our links with Birmingham climate action and environmental groups
We work closely with a number of other partners and collaborators to help ensure activities are not duplicated and to take a faith community voice to our partners’ own events.
Partners and regular collaborators include Peace Hub, Climate Action Network West Midlands (CANWM), Birmingham Friends of the Earth, JaiJagat 2020 UK and Sustrans. We hold events as part of UK Clean Air Day and the global Earth Day as well as part of the annual National Interfaith Week programme.
