Citizens UK is an alliance of various communities and organisations which act together for power, social justice and the common good. TELCO is the East London chapter of Citizens UK.

Our Parish was one of the funding members of the alliance which was formed in 1989. We have been involved with a number of campaigns and initiatives brought about by Citizens UK since the beginning.

Citizens UK work through the means of community organising which is based on the principle that when people work together they have the power to change their neighbourhoods, cities, and ultimately the country for the better.

Citizens UK work with people who want to transform the world, from what it is to what they believe it should be. Citizens UK engage all their members by asking them about their concerns and collaboratively developing strategies to improve our communities. This enables the civil society to be at the negotiating table alongside the market and state, so that the communities are included in the decisions that affect them.

Citizens UK give our Parish a platform to live out the Catholic Social Teaching, to promote peace, love and justice. Also to voice our concerns and organise local community behind common interests. This could be for example improving access to healthcare to local residents or improving street lighting. Through working alongside your neighbours indiscriminate of race or religion, members of Citizens UK foster community cohesion and strengthen local social networks.

Citizens UK also develop community leaders. Those who lead the change and improve lives of local communities. But also are given the skills and capacity to hold politicians and other decision-makers to account on the issues that matter to them. Training and mentoring is available to all parishioners.

Members of our parish were involved in campaigns around the Living Wage (www.livingwage.org.uk), Housing, Community Land Trusts (www.communitylandtrusts.org.uk/), Health and London Olympics, whereby a significant number of jobs was given to the local residents.

If you would like to find out more please follow the link below:

http://www.citizensuk.org/

or contact Michal on sieratzky@gmail.com