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Paths of Peace – Handling Conflict Well

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5 Session Course – In-person and online

14th March – 11th April 2025

What can you do when relationships become strained? 

Do you want to help but are concerned about how, anxious not to make things worse?

Learn, develop and enhance mediative peace-making skills that can be used both formally and informally in situations of conflict between individuals, in a church, community or work setting.

This exciting and innovative course uses mediative and restorative processes to help participants develop and enhance peacemaking skills to transform broken and strained relationships, in faith communities, families or workplace. Central to any such process is careful, respectful listening which builds understanding, enabling those struggling with difference to find ways forward that bring life and reconciliation.

If you want to be equipped to make a difference using mediation skills and restorative practices, this is the course for you.

Please visit: Events page for full Course & Booking detail

Download: Mediation Skills Course Flyer

Playing with Peace Toddler Group

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We are delighted to announce that the ‘Playing with Peace’ Toddler Group will held every Wednesdays 9.30am to 11.00am (in term time).

Join us in Thompson Jones Hall (below the Church) accessed via the car park. The group is a happy and fun place where parents and children can gather to learn ways of playing and relating that build good relationships and peaceful communities. 

There is no charge attend, although voluntary contributions to running costs are appreciated. 

Visit the events page to download the group poster.

The Blackley Centre AGM

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Saturday, 16th March, 10.00am – 11.30am in the Prospect Suite.

Join us to celebrate and reflect on the Centre’s year in 22/23. We’d love to see you. Please follow this link to see or download the agenda and other info.

Andy and Jo Williams, Centre Directors

Minutes of AGM 18 March 2023

Blackley Centre AGM Notice and Agenda 2024

Blackley Centre Charity Trustee Elections

Blackley Centre Annual Report 2022 – 2023

Blackley Centre Annual Accounts 2022-23 FINAL

Paths of Peace – Mediation Skills for Interpersonal Conflicts

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5 Session Course – In-person and online

April 26th – May 24th 2024

This course introduces a 5 stage process that you practise step by step. Although the focus is on transforming conflicts in churches, the skills that you learn can be used wherever there is a role, formal or informal, for mediative intervention by a third party. If you have an appetite for practical peace-making, and you want to be equipped to make a difference using mediation skills, this is the course for you.

Please visit: Events page for full Course & Booking detail

Download: Mediation Skills Course Flyer

Peace and Quiet Days

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The next Peace and Quiet days are on Saturday 23rd March, Friday 19th April, Friday 31st May, Saturday 29th June, Friday 26th July. After a break for August we recommence on Friday 27th September, Saturday 26th October, finishing the year with our Advent themed day on  Friday 29th November. 

These days have become very popular and much appreciated by past participants. They offer an opportunity for day retreat with loads of helpful resources as well as walks, conversation, and lots of good food. Come and be cared for. Take some space to rest and reflect in the lovely surroundings. Find some peace in the chaos, and some quiet in the storm. More details on our Events page.

 

Revd Dr Richard L Kidd

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We are truly saddened by the death of Richard Kidd. Richard has been a dear friend and colleague for many years and accompanied us through the creation of the Blackley Centre. From the first conversations about the Centre he and Rosemary embraced it – Richard’s infectious enthusiasm for what we were trying to do and be, enabled us to believe that we could do this. His support was not just in words – he offered to help us as a Trustee and to be our founding Treasurer. He created our publicity, our logo and our website and supported us in so many ways, generous with his time, his thoughts and his creativity. Rosemary and he have been close family friends since I was a teenager, and when we worked together at Northern he encouraged me to do more than I thought possible. We were so sad to lose Rosemary last year, and now Richard too. We give thanks for a remarkable man whose insight, creativity, adventurous thinking coming from his considerable brain, was sometimes disconcerting, frequently challenging, and constantly prompting exploration of the new. Rest well now Richard – may you know peace.

Directors Sabbatical

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Both Andy and Jo really appreciated the opportunity to take a 2 month sabbatical from Church and Centre in July and August. It was a special time of rest and restoration, visiting other retreat and training centres, learning and being inspired by others working in this area of peace and reconciliation.

Peace and Quiet Days in June and July

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Friday 17th June and Saturday 30th July

Sometimes in this world we just need to slow down and look for some Peace and Quiet. We need to take the time to pause and reflect upon our role in society and our community. As the politicians of this age seem determined to take us further and further into chaos, we need to stop and reset.

The Blackley Centre are running a series of Peace and Quiet Days both before the summer holidays and then just after, starting on the 17th June.

This is your chance to join us at your own personal retreat day. Throughout the day you are free to enjoy the Centre, Chapel and grounds, a lovely environment in which to spend a day of reflection. Resources are available for you to use to create a personal retreat, appropriate for you.

The prefect place to relax, contemplate any issues that are important to you and hopefully find a path forward.

The first day is Friday 17th June followed by Saturday the 30th July.

All are welcome and to book just call 01422 646803 or email admin@blackleycentre.co.uk.

We’d love to meet you here.

Blackley Centre and Church – the perfect environment for reflection in the Peace and Quiet

Having Difficult Conversations – An Inter Faith Dialogue

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How can we have difficult conversations and remain in good relationships in our families, faith communities and among faith communities?

In life we often find ourselves in situations where we need to discuss topics that may be sensitive to others or we may hold different views.

How can we have difficult conversations without causing offence and remain in good relationships? At the Dialogue on the 3rd of May you’ll have opportunity to draw from the wide experience of our Director for Reconciliation as we discuss together how this helps us in the situations we face.