Westminster Abbey

Yesterday we marked the 84th anniversary of the Battle of Britain at a Service of Thanksgiving and Rededication in the Abbey. The service was attended by the Prime Minister alongside serving Royal Air Force personnel, veterans and their families. Afterwards, a Lancaster bomber took part in a flypast over the Abbey The Battle of Britain - a 112-day fight for control of Britain's skies between July and October 1940 - was the first decisive battle in history fought entirely in the air, and one which proved to be a dramatic turning point in the Second World War. Our annual commemoration remembers the service and sacrifice of all of the pilots and aircrew who took part in the Battle, fighting against extraordinary odds to defend the country from invasion. You can read more on our website at: https://lnkd.in/e_ScAC2f

Glance up as you pass through the Abbey's Great West Door and you'll see ten statues to modern martyrs - Christians who gave up their lives for their beliefs. The martyrs are drawn from every continent and many Christian denominations and represent all who have been oppressed or persecuted for their faith. Among them are victims of Nazism, communism and religious prejudice in the 20th century. They are: - St Maximilian Kolbe from Poland - Manche Masemola from South Africa - Janani Luwum from Uganda - Grand Duchess Elizabeth from Russia - Dr Martin Luther King Jr from the USA - St Oscar Romero from El Salvador - Dietrich Bonhoefferfrom Germany - Esther John from Pakistan - Lucian Tapiedi from New Guinea - Wang Zhiming from China The statues, carved from French Richemont limestone, were unveiled in 1998 at a service attended by HM Queen Elizabeth II. You can find out more about the lives and legacies of the martyrs on our website at: https://lnkd.in/dK5tk7i3

Starting in October, we're beginning a new series of monthly Lunchtime Talks in St Margaret's Church. Everyone is welcome to join us on the second Wednesday of each month for an in-depth exploration of part of the Abbey's history. Booking is open now for the first two events in the series, both of which draw inspiration from our literary heritage: 🖋️ Women Poets 📅 Wednesday 9 October, 1pm 🗣 Professor Helen Hackett explores the remarkable lives of some of the women writers remembered in the Abbey: https://lnkd.in/eFkybTng 🖋️ First World War Poets 📅 Wednesday 13 November, 1pm 🗣 Author Max Egremont examines the lives and legacies of Britain's First World War poets: https://lnkd.in/e4X3RNgM

Join the Westminster Abbey Institute for an exciting new chapter to help deliver their emerging strategy for renewing faith in public life. Building on the success of their first decade the Institute is now focusing on work in three key areas: supporting the Institute’s talented and diverse Fellowship community, strengthening parliamentary and institutional engagement, and expanding public programmes. We’re looking for three Deputy Directors to each oversee one of these areas, and a Programme Officer to provide support across all three. In these newly created roles you’ll have the opportunity to grow the Institute’s reach and impact for the future, and to make a significant contribution to public life. Applications close this week at 5pm on Sunday 8 September. Visit our website for more details and to apply: https://lnkd.in/eXZjU2ga #PublicService #PublicServants #RenewingFaithInPublicLife

We're looking forward to welcoming visitors to the Abbey for Voice and Verse - a season of special events running here at the Abbey and online throughout the autumn. Taking inspiration from our literary heritage, we'll be celebrating poems and poets with a special series of tours, talks, concerts and family events running until the end of November. For full event listings and to get involved, visit: https://lnkd.in/esQh-bsf

On Sunday we'll be marking the second anniversary of HM The King's accession to the throne at Sung Eucharist in the Abbey at 11:15am (BST). We'll be streaming the service live on our website for worshippers to join us from around the world. The service will be sung by the Abbey's world-renowned choir, and will include prayers for The King and the Royal Family. You can find out more on our website, where you'll also be able to watch the service on demand for 30 days afterwards: https://lnkd.in/eYgwsbYb

We're embarking on an exciting project to regularly stream our services, and are looking for a dedicated Streaming Producer and Technician to join our team. In this key role, you'll be overseeing live and pre-recorded broadcasts from Westminster Abbey and St Margaret's Church, using your technical expertise and creative flair to stream services and events to our global audiences. Applications close at midday on Monday 2 September. Visit our website for more details and to apply: https://lnkd.in/eXZjU2ga #jobs #vacancies #hiring #streaming #producer #technician

On Monday we marked the UN's annual #WorldHumanitarianDay with an act of remembrance at the Innocent Victims' Memorial outside the Abbey. Flowers were laid in memory of aid workers who have given their lives in the service of others in conflicts around the world over the last twelve months. You can find out more about the memorial at: https://lnkd.in/eFar8-zf

If you live or work in Westminster or are planning a visit to the Abbey, you can join us to enjoy some open air Shakespeare at the Abbey this summer. Four Forty theatre company will be coming to Dean's Yard on Thursday 29th and Friday 30th August, performing a double bill of A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night in one night with just four actors in forty(ish!) minutes each. You can find out more and book tickets at: https://lnkd.in/gArqS-gs

Last Thursday, the Abbey's Communications and Digital Team spent a day volunteering at leading homelessness charity The Passage . Preparing and serving food to clients, the team witnessed the range of services The Passage offers, including accommodation, housing support, healthcare, employment and chaplaincy. The Abbey, a neighbour of The Passage in the heart of Westminster, recently made a £500,000 donation to support the charity’s No Night Out initiative, which works with people at risk of spending a first night on the streets, providing them with emergency accommodation while its staff offer one-to-one support to move them into safe and sustainable housing. The Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr David Hoyle, visited earlier this year to meet staff, volunteers and service users and find out more about the project. Find out more about the Dean’s visit and the Abbey’s collaboration with The Passage: https://lnkd.in/e4P_2H6H. #volunteering #change #charity