Faith and Friendships: driving positive change in challenging times

Faith and Friendships: driving positive change in challenging times: 4th – 10th October 2025

We live in an increasingly polarised world with very few opportunities to get away and spend meaningful time with people of different backgrounds to our own. This Faith & Friendship week is for those who are, or who would like to be, engaged with communities, bringing people together across difference and seeking to nurture and implement values related to peace, justice, and compassionate leadership.

Gathering with individuals of diverse faiths and backgrounds, this week will be rooted in lived experiences. We will develop practical skills, have opportunities to listen and share wisdom, renew our confidence and build new connections. Together we will explore the theme in practical, creative and interactive ways.

Programme leaders 
 

Wahida Shaffi has over 20 years’ experience working with diverse communities from across the UK. She is a qualified chaplain, social worker, vocational assessor and trainer, and author of the book Our Stories Our Lives: Inspiring Muslim Women’s Voices. She completed her MA in international politics at the University of Bradford’s Department of Peace Studies. 

Christy Bischoff is a storyteller and community facilitator with over 15 years’ experience supporting refugees in Bradford. Her work centers on healing, resilience, and connection—shaped by personal experiences with cancer in her family. She leads workshops on recovery, community arts, and collective wellbeing, and holds an MA and MPhil in Conflict Resolution from the University of Bradford.

Costs

6 Nights: £846.00 per adult, £423.00 for reduced rate – see our programme page for more information.