Our speakers: Catholic Social Action Conference

Together Liverpool is delighted to be co-hosting this year’s Catholic Social Action Conference on Friday 11 July, alongside the Archdiocese of Liverpool and other partners.

With the theme of Building Stronger Communities, the day will bring together people from across the region, to explore how faith and action can help transform local neighbourhoods.

We’re proud to be contributing to the programme with two morning sessions and an afternoon workshop, led by members of our team who bring experience and passion from their work across the region:

Faith in the City – Forty years on: Reflections on faith, justice and community renewal - Fran D’Arcy, our Faith in the City Lead Development Officer, will reflect on the legacy and ongoing relevance of the 1985 Faith in the City report. She’ll share how Together Liverpool and Churches Together in the Merseyside Region are marking its 40th anniversary through storytelling, listening and learning events, and renewed calls to action for justice and inclusion.

Near Neighbours: building bridges in our communities - Rev James Green, Chief Executive Officer, and Joe Cottrell, Social Action Development Lead Officer, will introduce our new collaboration with Near Neighbours – a national programme helping communities engage in open, honest and hopeful conversations around local challenges. This session will share practical tools and approaches to help people take action together and strengthen community ties.

Breaking County Lines: how faith groups can respond - In an afternoon workshop, Joe Cottrell will lead a session exploring how criminal gangs exploit children through drug networks – a form of modern slavery known as "county lines." Using resources from The Clewer Initiative, he’ll highlight how churches and faith-based groups can recognise the signs and play an active role in prevention and response.

🗓 Event details
📍 St Margaret Clitherow Centre
🕤 Registration from 9:30am | Conference ends at 4:00pm

There will be additional speakers and workshops through the day, all exploring different aspects of the Building Stronger Communities theme – from advocacy and social justice to practical approaches for local action. Keep an eye on our social media channels for updates on the full line-up.

Together Liverpool CEO Rev James Green said: “We’re delighted to be co-hosting this year’s Catholic Social Action Conference. Building stronger communities is at the heart of our mission, and we’re looking forward to sharing ideas, tools and inspiration that help turn faith into action. We hope people leave the day encouraged and equipped to make a difference in their local areas.”

The programme includes time for networking, and attendees will receive a welcome pack with the full schedule on arrival. Refreshments and a vegetarian lunch will be provided by the Archdiocese of Liverpool’s resident chef, Seamus.

👉 Sign up here: Building Stronger Communities: Catholic Social Action Conference 2025 We’d love to see you there!