The Radical Reading Room at the Ascension Church is a space to remember the radical campaigning history of Ascension Church Hulme, in particular the Viraj Mendis Defence Campaign, from which emerged many of Manchester’s network of small organisations which support refugees and asylum seekers.

~ It’s a space to keep connections between the Church and social movements for peace and justice (whatever their relation to faith) alive in the here and now.

~ A space to  imagine and create pathways to a world-to-come: a world  based on justice and peace where harms are few, where there will be a flourishing of all living beings.

The current collection of books, which we plan to develop, is a small collection gifted by local elders in  social movements, with a particular emphasis on Black Studies and Women’s Studies as well as papers from local anti-racist and anti-deportation struggles and a collection of political theology.

Radical Reading Room lunches

From September onwards we will be hosting a monthly chat in the Radical Reading Room at the Ascension Church, about radical reading, prompted by one of the themes in the collection in the Reading Room.  There will be a brief (15 minutes at most) introduction and a bit of reading together, followed by a discussion. Please bring a lunch if you would like to.

 Dates

Thursday 22 Sept 1-2pm

Thursday 13 Oct 1-2pm

Thursday 17 Nov 1-2pm

If you are interested in adding to the collection of books or finding about more about the radical reading room, please contact Janet Batsleer and Margaret Beetham at radicalreadingroom@ascensionchurchhulme.com.