We’re pleased to announce that Healthwatch Essex has become a signatory to a county-wide faith covenant.
The shared ambition of the Faith Covenant for Essex is for Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews, Buddhists, Pagans and leaders from the public sector to pool their resources to strengthen community cohesion and tackle isolation and loneliness. By promoting tolerance and understanding of different faiths and working collaboratively, the Essex Faith Covenant aims to make a real difference and build much more resilient and inclusive communities.
In signing up to the agreement, faith communities and partners pledge to follow a joint vision, a set of principles that unify us, and focus our attention on helping others. The overriding sentiment of that vision is that together we are stronger. Together, we can proactively build trust between faith groups and public services, we can create opportunities to learn from each other and share best practice, and we can come together to serve the community, particularly the most disadvantaged.
Faith communities play a vital role in their neighbourhood supporting people most in need, strengthening resilience, reinforcing local identity and helping to connect communities. It is important to us at Healthwatch Essex that we are inclusive, hearing from the most diverse range of people possible, so that health and care can be shaped to work well for those accessing it. We have a number of opportunities to get involved in sharing your experiences. By joining any of our ambassador groups you can help to shape health and social care in Essex, working with commissioners, providers and policy-makers to improve services and experiences.
The Essex Faith Covenant was the first countywide Faith Covenant in Britain and is backed by the Government’s All Parliamentary Committee on Faith and Society. It has been signed by Basildon, Braintree, Chelmsford and Colchester councils, Essex Police, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Essex Fire Authority, to name a few. It is also supported by Faith Action, a nationwide network of faith-based and community organisations working together to help others.
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