A major Bradford project started ten years ago to build greater understanding between Christian churches and other faith groups has appointed a new leader to take its work forward.
Bradford Churches for Dialogue and Diversity (BCDD) has announced that Richard Bennett (53) (pictured right) is to be its new Chief Executive. He will begin work this month.
Richard joins BCDD from Lancashire County Council where he worked on a range of business support and community regeneration projects for 11 years. He brings to BCDD has wide experience of fund raising, project development and management, having previously worked at Groundwork Trust as Operations Manager and then at Pendle Council as Employment and Community Initiatives Manager.
Richard, 53 said, “I first got interested in working with other faiths when I started my work at Nelson, Lancashire and was quite surprised to hear the call to prayer being broadcast across the car park at Morrisons. This led in time to a short trip out to the Northern Territories in Pakistan in 2008 and also to some voluntary work with asylum seekers and Muslim immigrants in Toxteth, Liverpool mostly from Somali and Yemeni descent.”
BCDD aims to support Christian churches as they seek to make a contribution to social cohesion in an inter-faith, multi-cultural context and as they work out their call to bear witness to Christ. Based in Bradford, it works throughout West Yorkshire and across the M62 corridor working with Christian denominations, Muslim organisations, Hindu and Sikh groups and other faith bodies to facilitate and encourage mutual learning, listening, sharing and theological refection.
Speaking of his new role at BCDD, Richard said, “It feels like I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like this for some time and that God has been shaping me over many years for the work that lies ahead. I’m very grateful for the platform that others have established through BCDD and hope that together we can explore and enjoy the roads that God is going to open up across the new Diocese.”
Richard is married with three grown up boys.