Being Alongside

On Saturday 5th April we will hold a half-day conference exploring the topic of journeying together with God and each other through life’s challenges.

The event will take place between 10.30am and 2pm at All Saints, Battersea Fields, South London. All Saints (100 Prince of Wales Dr, London SW11 4BD ) is easily accessed from Battersea Park or Queenstown Road train stations.

We are pleased to announce that one of our Patrons, the Rt Revd Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani will introduce proceedings, which will include a keynote address from the Revd Prof Christopher Cook, co-author of Struggling with God: Mental Health and Christian Spirituality.

Christopher’s book is described by the publishers, SPCK, as “a fresh, hopeful and scriptural companion for both those struggling with mental illness and their supporters, carers, and the church community who, like Jesus, seek to come alongside all with the practical and spiritual hope of a God who journeys with us in our suffering.” Copies will be available to purchase at the event.

Our second speaker will be a representative of the Railway Mission, who will talk about the charity’s ministry offering confidential, impartial pastoral care to the railway community and passengers of the railway network – including those facing family breakdown, mental ill-health and bereavement.

As always, we will ensure there is plenty of time for questions, discussion and of course meeting others. Coffee and tea will be served upon arrival, and a light sandwich lunch will be provided to close.

While in the past, attendees have generously offered donations to help cover costs, these events have typically run at a loss to the charity. The trustees have therefore decided to ask attendees for a payment of £10 in advance (£5 for the unwaged) to help ensure that such events are sustainable into the future.

To book, please email admin@beingalongside.org.uk with your name and also make a donation for either £10 or £5 via the ‘Donate’ button above (we will match this up when PayPal notifies us of your donation). Alternatively, please send payment via an online transfer or by cheque. We are trying to avoid taking cash payments on the day.

We look forward to seeing you in April!

Our Summer 2024 issue of Being Alongside magazine is out!

This issue has a big focus on what has been achieved so far with your support through our £20,000 two-year grant programme.

Our chair Ben Wilson provides an update on the grant programme, and sets out the options for extending the scheme beyond its planned two years, depending on how the assisted projects have fared and on how our charity funds are doing.

After a print version of the report of our 2024 conference, the issue goes on to look in more detail at two of our newly supported projectse—Sunflowers Café at Freemantle Baptist Church in Southampton and Pippins Community Centre in Axminster, Devon—and we’re also delighted to feature an update from Sue Clayton of Arnold Methodist Church in Nottingham, letting us know that the mental health befriendly and support group for which provided seed funding back in 2016 is still thriving in 2024.

Our main “think piece” is provided by John Vallat, who shares his thoughts on the meaning and practice of “being alongside”, including the very handy mnemonic “ALIVE”, which helps us to remember some of the key aspects of how we can be alongside someone as we can journey together: Accepted, Listened to, Involved and Included as an Individual, Valued, and Encouraged.

Fr John Cullen offers a thought-provoking review of Lorna Tucker’s recent documentary on homelessness, Someone’s Daughter, Someone’s Son, which closes with a debate on how the phenomenon can be addressed in a holistic way.

Our new patron Dr Larry Culliford provides a feature version of the address he gave to our 2024 conference, in which he thoughtfully reveals how he learnt to become the person he is, and how he helped to found the Spirituality and Psychiatry group within the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

The retrospective theme continues as Jamie Summers offers reflections on his almost 30 years of involvement in our charity.

And finally, as part of our continuing series looking at groups with similar aims to ours, our editor Trevor Parsons meets Renew Wellbeing, the dynamic Christian charity which, in less than a decade, has grown a network of 260 wellbeing spaces and places where it’s OK not to be OK. (A special mention to any keen-eyed readers who write in to tell us which of those 260 spaces is currently benefitting from our financial support! Ed.)

Our magazine is freely available to all digitally. If you would like to enjoy it in glossy paper form, you are warmly encouraged to become one of our supporters.

Being Alongside’s honorary treasurer, John Vallat, is stepping down later this year after many years of dedicated service to the charity.

John’s departure means the charity is looking for a successor who can work with our administrator on the proper financial running of the organisation. The responsibilities are not onerous: we need someone to verify online bank transfers, undertake some basic double checking of certain calculations, and work with Lucy to produce our annual financial accounts and budgets.

No formal accountancy training or experience is necessary, though clearly it would help to have a head for figures, and proficiency and confidence with both online banking and Excel spreadsheets. If you know of anyone who might be interested in taking on this voluntary position (or you personally are interested), then please contact our Chair Ben Wilson to set up an informal discussion.

This year’s annual conference explored different ways that churches and other community groups can effectively ‘be alongside’ those experiencing mental health challenges.

Drawing on the rich experience of our affiliate groups, the gathering enjoyed stimulating presentations from various examples of community-based pastoral support, and lots of opportunities to chat about how these beacons of good practice could help inspire other such projects.

More than 30 supporters of Being Alongside gathered in the wonderful setting of St Peter’s, Battersea, at the heart of the Winstanley Estate.

The day began with an opening address by Dr Larry Culliford – Being Alongside’s new Patron. Larry reflected on his experience as a psychiatrist, in particular in training new practitioners to respond attentively to the needs of their patients. Larry stressed the importance of ‘being’ rather ‘doing’; and of sitting in true company with those who are suffering. He reflected on the role of spirituality as part of the human experience, and the value of meditative practice.

Continue reading “Our 2024 conference ‘Aspects of Being Alongside’: report”

Our annual conference this year will focus on different ways we can ‘be alongside’ those in need – with examples from across the charity’s affiliated organisations and beyond.

The free event will feature guest speakers including:

• Dr Larry Culliford, Co-Founder of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Spirituality and Psychiatry Special Interest Group
• Canon Andrew Wilson, Chair of Croydon APCMH

The event takes place on Saturday 9 March 2024, beginning at 11.00am and finishing at around 3.00pm. Our venue will be St Peter’s Church Hall on Plough Road in Battersea, just a few minutes’ walk from Clapham Junction stations (Grant Road exit, then down right down Plough Road towards the Thames).

Continue reading “Aspects of ‘Being Alongside’ – our annual conference for 2024, on Sat 9 March”

We’ve revised and updated our set of five “action sheets” which provide valuable advice and information based on the experience our local groups and affiliates have gained over many years.

If you are considering setting up a drop-in session or befriending scheme, or working to make your community group or place of worship more welcoming for people who are in mental distress, we hope you will find them useful.