Family values: in play in the UK
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LONDON
The historic United Kingdom Parliament for the first time was the venue for the Church's Family Values Award, which was presented in the House of Commons on Feb. 26.
The Award was received by the Rt. Hon. John Battle, member of Parliament, who served as former Prime Minister Tony Blair's envoy to all faith communities in the UK. Also honored was Jill Kirby, director of the Centre for Policy Studies, one of Britain's best-known social policy "think tanks." The award is presented to "members of the community who have achieved remarkable things that support families."
The event was hosted by Member of Parliament Terry Rooney, a Church member, and was attended by members of the British legislature, leading academics and thought leaders with professional interest in family issues.
"We salute every one of you for the contribution that you're making," said Elder Stephen Kerr, Area Seventy, speaking at the special luncheon in the Houses of Parliament.
He added, "The institution that will save our broken society is not parliament ?— it is the home." Quoting President Harold B. Lee, Elder Kerr remarked, " 'The greatest work you will ever do will be within the walls of your own home.' That's why we will continue to celebrate family values."
Mr. Battle, described by Brother Rooney as "a champion of families under stress," expressed thanks for being invited "to this wonderful family meal." He was referring to English statesman Sir Thomas More (author of "Utopia") who advocated small communities gathering regularly for "extended family" meals. "It's important that people get together to build relationships," he said. "One of the great tragedies of families is, How many people have a table to sit round in the first place?"
Mr. Battle emphasized, "Stable people make stable relationships. How we keep the stability is by the support of the people around us. Thank you to the Church and thank you to Terry. It's been a very, very special occasion in this place and in the seat of democracy."
Mr. Battle is a devout Roman Catholic, and he and his wife, Mary, have one son and two daughters. He serves on the British Parliament's International Development Committee.
Throughout his time in politics, he has used his influence to champion welfare, poverty and family issues and has sought to carefully balance his time between family and work – seeking foremost to be a good husband and father.
As she received her award, Mrs. Kirby said, "I feel very supported by the work of your Church in sharing the values we see as important." She added, "There is a great deal of work ahead of us to improve the work of family life in Britain today."
Further, she said, "I couldn't have done anything I've done over the last 24 years without the support of my husband. I was a full-time mother at home, and that was the most important achievement of my life."
Mrs. Kirby was a founding member and chair of Full-Time Mothers, which strongly advocated the importance of mothers having the choice to stay at home to care for their children and sought to have policies to support them doing so. She has commissioned research and written extensively on the importance of marriage and the family, culminating in her role as director of the Centre for Policy Studies. Her personal views and perspectives on the family are frequently sought by Shadow Cabinet members and the media alike.
Other prominent people attending the awards ceremony included Tim Montgomerie MP, founder of a Christian Fellowship in the UK political arena; Fabian Hamilton MP; Professor Ann Buchanan, director of the Centre for Research into Parenting and Children at Oxford University; Professor Margaret O'Brien, University of East Anglia; Mark Molden, chief executive, Centre for the Family; and Dr. Lynda Clarke, head of the Centre for Population Studies.
The 2009 Family Values Award is the fifth such event held in London and is organized by the Public Affairs London Key City Council (LKCC).
This year's Family Values Award was especially moving, coming as it did the day after the death of UK Leader of the Opposition David Cameron's 6-year-old son, who had been suffering from a severe, progressive neurological condition. Several of the speakers referred to the challenges families face after the death of a loved one and how they can support each other during times of grief.
Public affairs council member and Romford England Stake President Clifford Herbertson referred to the help the Church provides in strengthening families and highlighted the benefits of family home evening. "The family is under such strain, anything we can do to strengthen it is good, so that is why we are having this award," he said. President Herbertson also announced the LKCC-organized Family Values Conference to be held at London's Hyde Park chapel on Sept. 16. "Our aim is to encourage as many people as possible to support families," he added.
