Luton Peace Walk, organised by Luton Council of Faiths (LCoF) and Grassroots, became a winner at Bedfordshire Police Community Cohesion Awards sixth annual ceremony.
The Walk won the Cohesion Award in the category of Promoting Diversity and was collected by David Jonathan MBE, a member of Bury Park United Reformed Church in Thames North Synod, who serves as Director for both Luton Council of Faiths and Grassroots, a Christian ecumenical organisation working in Luton since 1991, at a ceremony last month.
The award citation stated:
“Luton Peace Walk is an annual event organised by LCoF and Grassroots with the aim to promote cohesion and interfaith relations. The peace walk includes visits to religious locations across the town, and provides the opportunity for residents from all backgrounds to come together, learn from one another and discover shared bonds. The Peace Walk is always well-attended with a great mix of young and old taking part. Each year a number of schools also get involved, ensuring that the young people of Luton understand one another and barriers are broken down.”
There was recognition and appreciation for a number of people, organisations and projects working tirelessly for the common good, which makes the county of Bedfordshire exceptional and unique, according to Trevor Rodenhurst, Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police and also Jon Boutcher, the former Head of the Bedfordshire Police Force and a former Met senior counter-terrorism detective.
Addressing over 300 people from Bedfordshire’s diverse communities, the key organizer of the Awards Chief Inspector Hob Haque MBE said: “It is our way of saying ‘thank you’ for supporting your local force through exceptionally challenging times.”
Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner Festus Akinbusoye added: “I am repeatedly blown away by the help and support policing gets from every section of our community.
“Keeping Bedfordshire safe is a true team effort. I think we have the best communities in the country, and I am grateful to all of you for the support you have provided to the cohesion team and the community policing teams across the county. I would like to say a special thank you to you all.”
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