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Rev Nims Obunge |
Church leader to call on Gordon Brown to help St Mark’s campaign
A LEADING anti-knife campaigner is meeting Gordon Brown to try to persuade him to halt plans to redevelop a historic Mayfair church which he says plays a key role in keeping wayward youths from falling into lives of crime.
Reverend Nims Obunge, chief executive of the Peace Alliance, is meeting the Prime Minister on Monday to discuss ways of saving St Mark’s Church from developers ahead of a make-or-break planning meeting that could see the grade-I listed building become a beauty spa.
Rev Obunge praised the church in North Audley Street and its charismatic leader Rod Anderson for its programme of anti-knife youth workshops.
He said: “I am going to raise the issue with the Prime Minister and hopefully he will see what good the church does. I’ve known Rod for many years. I have been to the church and seen what they do. It is a community church and plays an active role in keeping vulnerable young people away from violent lives. To see it turn into a health spa would be a tragedy.”
Campaigners are hopeful that Rev Obunge’s influence in Whitehall could cajole the Prime Minister into granting the church a deadline day stay of execution.
The Diocese of London has approved plans from developer George Hammer, who lives in the vicarage next door. The building would be restored but its use changed to a health spa.
Every Sunday around 50 youths – many of whom live in care and have been repeatedly excluded from school – meet in the church hall.
Mr Anderson said: “When London has such a high profile knife problem, and we have three thriving youth groups at the church, it would be complete madness to shut us down.” |
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