Chalke announces charity sector 'parliament'

Rev Steve Chalke, Oasis founder, has announced the opening of a new centre dedicated to the church's engagement with social justice, government, media and business as well as the training of church leaders and activists in community transformation and public life.

Chalke explained that the 50,000 sq foot Oasis Centre will serve as a 'parliament' for the charity sector with the aim of enabling more effective relationships with government and media around the role of faith groups in public life, and providing a place of debate and interaction.

The extensive new facility will open by the end of June, just a short walk from Parliament and including Church.co.uk, the Oasis church. A broad network of charities, social justice groups, community action organisations, social entrepreneurs and think-tanks are being invited to make use of the space.

Chalke said, "We've been working hard for some time to create what we believe will become a significant base for a wide group of charities right at the heart of one of the world's mega-cities.

"We want to provide a fertile environment where the energy generated by the organisations sharing the facilities helps everyone get further, faster, as we engage with each other, with government, media and the city."

Commenting on what he called a 'groundbreaking' project, Stephen Timms MP said, "I welcome Oasis' proposal for a major centre close to Parliament, and I look forward to its activities helping to shape the public debate in the years ahead."

The Oasis Centre will also facilitate the future development and expansion of the training and resourcing of community leaders - for which Oasis is already known - while at the same time providing a central base for the Oasis UK group and its initiatives in their next phase of growth.

Expressing his enthusiasm for the development of the new centre, the Rt Rev James Jones, Bishop of Liverpool commented, "This new initiative is based on the well established principles of Christ-centred vision, rigorous thinking, a depth of community engagement and a clear articulation of a biblical worldview, which are the foundations on which Oasis' work has been built over these last 22 years."