Tyne & Wear Citizens
St John’s is proud to be a dues-paying member of Tyne & Wear Citizens, an alliance of civil society organisations committed to working together locally towards social justice and the common good.
Tyne and Wear Citizens has a successful campaigning record on tackling poverty and improving the safety and mental health of local people. St. John’s has been heavily involved in many of its events and campaigns. Our involvement allows members of our congregation to find their voice and allows us to articulate our mission as a city centre church orientated towards the common good.
Tyne & Wear Citizens’ achievements include:
- Trebling number of Living Wage Employers in region from 30 to over 90.
- Negotiating four schools to operate a Fair Change System, bringing over £60, 000 back to young people in receipt of Free School Meals.
- Taking public action to ‘Reclaim The Metro’ and winning a Hate Crime Charter on Public Transport – jointly signed by Nexus, Arriva, Stagecoach & Go-North East. The charter includes a commitment to train transport staff in Hate Crime as well as a commitment to build confidence amongst communities to challenge and report hate crime.
- Taking action against hatred forming a Human Chain around Newcastle Central Mosque.
- Launching a Citizens Commission on Mental Health which has involved 700 people; including holding three public hearings in Sunderland, Durham and Newcastle; Launched the report Living Well: Mental Wellbeing and Public Life in the North East; Held a Mental Health Assembly with 450 people.
St John’s Church Hall hosts a meeting of Tyne & Wear Citizens leaders and one of the candidates in the 2019 North of Tyne mayoral elections.
Members of the congregation and other Anglican leaders meet with Bishop Christine in 2019.
