Transforming Plymouth Together

The Diocese of Exeter is delighted to announce the appointment of Mr Chris Forster as the Development Worker for an important new project in Plymouth.

As part of a joint initiative with the Church Urban Fund, a new company entitled ‘Transforming Plymouth Together’ (TPT) has been established to encourage local churches engaging actively with the recommendations of the Plymouth Fairness Commission (PFC) in addressing issues of inequality and poverty across the city.

With the support of the Bishop of Plymouth and Plymouth City Council, Chris Forster will be working especially with communities and churches to respond to issues such as family well-being, loneliness, debt, wage levels, food poverty, discrimination and older people. This is expected to lead to setting up new activities, services and projects, in cooperation with different community groups and agencies across the city.

Former retail manager Chris Forster was previously working to support communities in Hele, Torquay and is based at St. Mark’s Centre, Ford.

Rt Revd Nick McKinnel, Bishop of Plymouth, said: “This is an exciting new piece of work which will help in putting issues of fairness and justice firmly on the city’s map. We look forward to moving forward with TPT in the months and years ahead”.

Martyn Goss, Director of Church & Society and TPT manager, said, “We are delighted to appoint Chris to this position as part of an innovative initiative addressing matters of inequality in different ways through Plymouth’s churches”.

TPT is part of the national Together Network which works with some of the country’s poorest and most marginalised people to transform their lives for the better.