Listening to Britain’s Churches is a chance for the Christian community to engage directly with the Conservative Party. A ‘Question Time’ style event held at Holy Trinity Parish Church. there are no questions barred and all are welcome. This is a chance for the congregations of Eastbourne's churches to be heard.
Our panel:
Colin Bloom - Chief Executive, the CCF
Colin is the Executive Director of the Conservative Christian Fellowship (CCF). He worked for ten years in industry and almost ten years running a charity, as well as being a local councillor for eight years in a large unitary authority and standing for parliament in booth 2005 and 2010. He is passionate about social justice and firmly believe that people of faith have an increasingly important part to play in the public sphere.
Father Raglan Hay-Will - Our Lady of Ransom Church
Fr Raglan is the Parish Priest of Our Lady of Ransom Church, Eastbourne. He comes from Arundel in West Sussex and, apart from a 7 year spell as the Catholic chaplain to the universities of Sussex and Brighton, he has worked as a priest in Sussex churches since 1986. Fr Raglan came to Our Lady of Ransom, Eastbourne in 2009. He says that, perhaps his fondest memory so far is joining with Rev. Vic Lawrence in the blessing service at the Holy Well on August Bank Holiday in 2010!
Steve Puttock - CEO Eastbourne & Wealden YMCA
Steve Puttock has been CEO of Eastbourne & Wealden YMCA for 10 years, a local Christian charity committed to changing lives in our local community, offering hope & building communities through the delivery of a wide range of services including housing homeless young people, schools work, a chaplaincy service, sport & activities for the young & old and youth & community programmes. Steve worked in International Banking for 26 years (Emerging Markets), and has served in Church leadership teams and as a Trustee of various charities. He is passionate about seeing broken lives put back together.
Caroline Ansell - Conservative Candidate for Eastbourne
Caroline Ansell is the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Eastbourne & Willingdon. She is a local Councillor and Chair of Scrutiny, formerly Opposition Deputy Leader and shadow portfolios in Finance and Community. Caroline’s background is Education with 15 years in teaching, five in school leadership. She is a School Governor and ISI Inspector. Caroline is married to Nick, they have three sons and four generations of the family live in the town. For Caroline, Politics is a way of expressing her Christian faith, “love thy neighbour” she says, “is the original Big Society.”
David Burrowes - Member of Parliament for Enfield Southgate
Before entering parliament in 2005, David worked as a solicitor for the Enfield firm Shepherd Harris and Co, specialising in criminal law. He was an advocate in police stations and Courts in Enfield, Haringey and Hertfordshire. In 1994, David was elected as the youngest councillor in the London Borough of Enfield representing Trent Ward. During the next 8 years David held a number of positions in the Conservative Group. He was elected as Member of Parliament in May 2005. While in Opposition he was the Shadow Justice Minister with responsibility for youth justice and victims. He is now Parliamentary Private Secretary to Oliver Letwin MP, Minister for Government Policy. David is particularly interested in the policy areas of the criminal justice system; drugs, family policy and international human rights. David is married to Janet and has six young children.