West Park United Reformed Church (URC), Harrogate, will be making use of its proximity to the 2019 Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) Road World Championships' finishing line by welcoming the competition’s organisers to its church.

The event runs from 22-29 September, and former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas will ride for Great Britain in the time trial on 25 September, along with national champion Alex Dowsett.

by Daniel Macaulay

Thanks to the Revd Andrew Reed, a Congregational Minister, the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability (RHN) has been transforming lives since 1854. Nearly 1.4m people with brain injuries are admitted into A&E every year and the RHN provides rehabilitation and long-term care for some of them.

Known as one of the great philanthropists of the 19th century, the minister established The Hospital for Incurables in Carshalton, Surrey in 1854. In 1863 the hospital found its permanent home – Melrose Hall, on West Hill, Putney and its name was changed to the Royal Hospital for Neuro-disability in 1995.

Returning from a three-month sabbatical, the Revd Philip Brooks, United Reformed Church (URC) Secretary for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations, reflects on a recent trip to Germany.

The trip took place ahead of the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall where 22 people from the URC will join in the four-day remembrance and celebrations, from 7-11 November, with the Evangelische Kirche der Pfalz (Protestant Churches of the Palatinate region of Germany).