Faith Communities Support Black Country Lottery Bid

Faith leaders from the diverse communities of the Black Country are backing the region’s bid to win the People’s £50 Million Contest.

They came to show their support at St Peter’s Church of England Church, in the centre of Wolverhampton, which is displaying banners and flying a special flag to urge people to vote. The flagpole is believed to be the highest point in the region used to promote the contest.

The Rev David Frith, Rector of Wolverhampton and a member of the board of the Wolverhampton Interfaith Council, said: “The bid has a lovely combination of honouring Black Country heritage and addressing environmental concerns and bringing new life to the Black Country communities. To have these major benefits together is such an opportunity. I would really encourage people to get behind the bid.”

His comments were supported by Monsignor Patrick McKinney, a Roman Catholic and president of Black Country Churches Engaged, Khalid Akhtar of the Medina Mosque and a Muslim board member of the Interfaith Council, and Vasdev Singh Bhamrah, leader of the Namdhari Sikh community in Wolverhampton, and a founder member and patron of the Wolverhampton Interfaith Council.

‘A Million People: Black Country as an Urban Park’ is competing for funding to help regenerate the region. If successful it would bring more than 800,000 people in the Black Country within a 15-minute walk of safe and attractive green space.

The Urban Park vision includes unveiling forgotten caverns beneath Dudley, a 12-mile ‘green bridge’ park linking Walsall and West Bromwich town centres, widespread regeneration of Wolverhampton’s canal network and improved access to green places, all achieved in an unparalleled programme of community involvement.

Urban Park (UP) is one of four projects vying for the £50 million from the BIG Lottery Fund.  The £50 million will support the first five to ten years of up to 30 years of Urban Park activity.                                                                        

To vote online people must first register by logging on to www.thepeoples50million.org.uk or go to www.voteblackcountryup.co.uk. Details for telephone voting will be announced on Friday, 7 December, at 9am.  All forms of voting close at 12noon on Monday, 10 December.

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