Parish Profile St Dunstan's, Bellingham

Bellingham is a housing estate, halfway between Catford and Bromley, but any suggestion that it might be part of either could book you a place in 'Casualty', so fierce is the sense of local identity. It has perhaps a lot to do with the area's history.

Shortly after World War 1, the London County Council decided to build 'an estate for superior artisans' on a green field site between Catford and Bromley. A village atmosphere would be created with 'cottage' style housing and a village green - and the tenants were 'chosen', - no-one too wealthy, and definitely no-one poor! That, plus the surrounding fields, gave the first Bellingham residents a sense of being somehow 'apart' and 'different' from the area around. Today, despite the fact that the population profile has changed considerably and warehouses and supermarkets now cover its 'green belt', Bellingham has retained that sense of separate identity! It is now a UPA parish of 8,000 people, - and after the publishing of the 2000 DETR Index of deprivation it is officially the most deprived Ward in Lewisham (the parish and Ward are the same).

St Dunstan's Church grew up with the estate. As Bellingham was being planned, the newly consecrated Bishop of Southwark, Cyril Garbett launched his '25 Churches Fund', to build new churches including St John's, Catford (Southend), and one at Bellingham, part of St John's parish until 1939.

The first congregation celebrated Christmas 1921 in a workers canteen and Christmas 1922 was celebrated in the first church building (now leased to the Council as a Community Centre). Two years later the foundations were laid for the present church overlooking Bellingham Green and Christmas 1925 was celebrated there in the "unfinished church".

St Dunstan's became known as the "Apprentices Church" as the General Strike took the skilled builders away and the East Wall had to be temporarily completed by the apprentices. Well, almost 'temporarily' because shortage of money meant that the chancel and vestries planned for the East End were never built. Today, this creates the problem of inadequate facilities, no toilets or kitchen. There are plans afoot to redevelop the East End to provide modern facilities and further the mission of St Dunstan's.

In the 1930s things began to change with new residents moving in who were often unskilled labourers, transport workers etc. and poverty came to Bellingham for the first time. With no welfare state to help, the Church, itself equally hard up, started to 'recycle' clothing, and provide food and money to the local poor, beginning the uniquely close relationship between St Dunstan's and the community.

Phyllis Farrell, Bellingham's 'lady on the bike' was appointed as the parish's 'Lady Worker', but as well as church activities, teaching at Sunday school for example, she was the local 'social worker' visiting families and sorting out their problems long before social services were established. 53 years on Phyllis is still active around the parish, only today it's in a mobility scooter. She runs the Church's lunch clubs, annual Christmas Day party for the elderly - and edits the parish magazine, plus doing all sorts of clerical and admin jobs! Phyllis says she will never retire!

St Dunstan's evokes that kind of loyalty.

David Riley originally came to Bellingham as community worker for the estate. He was ordained Deacon at Michaelmas to serve as St Dunstan's OLM. Journalist John Colley, who wrote the history of St Dunstan's, was at the opening of the church in his pram. He is still a regular worshipper despite also being a member of the Fleet Street church, St Bride's.

The worship style is catholic but not 'spiky' with all the theatre of Anglo-Catholic ritual and a strong emphasis on the social gospel and the kingdom of God. The Vicar, Paul Butler, is known as Father Paul to everyone. There's a Mass every day except Friday, the Divine Office is said Morning and Evening and the Angelus is rung at noon. Sunday's Parish Mass at 10am is sung and in the evening there's BCP Evensong and Benediction at 6.30 pm.

St Dunstan's has thriving links with both Christ Church URC and the Roman Catholic Parish Church, St Augustine. On 2 December, the Churches are signing a Local Ecumenical Covenant. The Churches got involved in the local community action forum to fight for the transformation of the vandalised Bellingham Green, into a practical community park. The community has wrestled £500,000 from the council and is actively involved in redesigning the new Green.

Paul Butler (right) is an interesting character! 33 years old, Nottingham-born and Sheffield taught, paraphernalia in his study proclaim him a Notts. County supporter and a 'red-priest', - a tag he earns for his socialist views. Goatee-bearded, with a ponytail, cassock and Doc Martens, he's not quite everyone's image of a Vicar, let alone Rural Dean of East Lewisham. . Paul has channelled his 'radical Christianity' into fighting for his community and he talks of being part of the Bellingham 'Cabal', one of the group of community leaders who co-operate together for the flourishing of Bellingham.

It's a very different situation from the day that Paul came to Bellingham in 1996. The parish had 'lost its way a little'. The congregation needed to become more outward looking, and take its place once again at the heart of the life of the estate. Bridges needed to be built up and a number of challenges had to be faced.

The first job, said Father Paul, was to weld the parish together. "We can only work with the community if we are united and inclusive as a Church." Bellingham has become an increasingly multi-racial community over the past twenty years and this has been reflected in the congregation and its leadership. The minority ethnic communities now make up approximately a quarter of Bellingham and the congregation reflects this in its make up.

Churchwarden, Doreen Walcott (right) who has been worshipping at St Dunstan's for around 13 years, said, "At one stage we black churchgoers used to sit together in a the side aisle as it seemed a safe place to be and we didn't feel that we could intrude into what seemed to be a close-knit group. You felt left out and not much effort was made to embrace us and invite us to become more involved. Father Paul helped to change all that. He made a point of including everyone and encouraging people to share their skills. But we know that we still have a lot to learn."

Today Black Christians make up around a third of the PCC - and have taken on some of the leading roles; churchwarden, treasurer, Sunday school organiser and servers.

Doreen said, "We are in better shape than when Father Paul came. We're in a poor area and the majority many of our folk are elderly and retired. So we have to do a lot of fund-raising to make ends meet. We would like more younger people and we're also always thinking how we can draw in more of the community".

On the Sunday I visited St Dunstan's they had certainly drawn in the community , family and friends at a baptism. During the notices, an appeal was made for people to help Phyllis with the old people's Christmas Party, and at least one of the baptism party volunteered.

The second job was to ensure that St Dunstan's re-established itself at the heart of the community. It is very much a "community Church" with most of its congregation living on the estate, with the few 'outsiders' mainly ex-residents. Members of the congregation are involved with the tenant and resident groups, community groups, youth organisations, schools and colleges, and all the hopes and plans for regeneration.

Parade services take place five times a year and All-Age Mass once a month. Parishioner Anne Arden saw the need for a Parent, Carer and Toddler Group. Grants were obtained from 'Help a London Child' and 'Children in Need' and 'the Rolling Dun-Stones' was born. It has now been been running for three years and is featured as a model of good practice in the Diocesan 'Children and Families' pack. An annual Community Festival was launched four years ago which begins with the Festival Mass at St Dunstan's.

It is no surprise that the Churches, led by St Dunstan's, are also heavily involved in 'Bellingham SureStart', part of the Government's Programme to alleviate poverty. 'Surestart' is a partnership between the local community and parents, and the statutory and voluntary services to improve the health and well being of children under 4 and their families through support, advice, health and early learning services. Bellingham was chosen to be part of the programme because it is now the most deprived Ward in Lewisham with high levels of unemployment, teenage mums, still births and under-weight babies.

In September, the Partnership, (chaired by Father Paul), opened the SureStart Shop in the local parade, offering information on education, employment, drugs, housing etc. Soon a SureStart Centre is to be built behind the local housing office, as a base for specialist family health services and support for teenagers, especially young mums and dads, with day-care facilities, a crèche, a café and other facilities. Needless to say the Centre will be next to St Dunstan's, in the heart of its parish in every way.