LoudFence General Synod York 2023 postcard

This striking image by mixed media artist Catherine E. Holbrook captures the historic moment when the Church of England's General Synod was given no choice but to suspend normal operations and allow two unapproved people from the public gallery to speak. Steve Reeves and Jasvinder Sanghera had been the only truly independent members of the church's 'Independent Safeguarding Board' which had been due to report to the Synod but were prevented from doing so by the ArchBishop's Council's who rather abruptly ended their contracts and disbanded the Board shortly before they met. Synod wanted them to have the opportunity to tell their version of events, which it turned out was quite different from those that had been officially published by the ArchBishop's Council. On the railings outside of the University of York's Central Hall where the General Synod was being held, was a LoudFence - an initiative of Campaigner Antonia Sobocki and Survivor Activist Jane Chevous (who had also spoken out on behalf of Victims and Survivors of Church related abuse in the Synod earlier that afternoon). The iniative gave voice to victims and survivors who have been and continue to be systematically silenced, retraumatised and further abused by the appalling Safeguarding practices in the Church of England. Onto this Loudfence were tied ribbons, messages, prayers and personal accounts as people stood up and said this is wrong; the Church must do better. The moment when independent voices managed to break free of the archaic constraints of Canon Law and refused to be silenced is depicted by the free flying ribbons and the chaos, confusion and political wranglings within the Synod, by the tangled confusion of ribbons. Visually this freedom is contrasted by the harsh lines and angles of the Grade II listed 1960s concrete structure within which all of this was taking place. Scriptural extracts frame the upper sections of the building by way of reference to the supposedly Christian framework of the Church, while the text on the ribbons themselves represent the voices of those who refused to be silenced. By purchasing prints from this shop you will be helping to support survivors of church related abuse and to continue their fight for recognition, acknowledgment, justice and change.