Not to return to haiti. You are watching bbc news. A new report on the Church Of Englands historic links to slavery is about to be published. It follows a report last year into the churchs Investment Funds historic links to transatlantic slavery which at the time prompted it to announce a £100 million fund for a programme of investment, research and engagement to try to address past wrongs. We go across now to a News Conference taking place by an independent Oversight Group that was appointed by the Church Commission for england. It is taking place at lambeth palace. Some of it is virtual but we willjoin the conference now. To virtual but we will oin the conference now. Virtual but we will oin the conference now. ,. ,. , conference now. To give you opening remarks before conference now. To give you opening remarks before we conference now. To give you opening remarks before we go conference now. To give you opening remarks before we go on conference now. To give you opening remarks before we go on with conference now. To give you opening remarks before we go on with our. Remarks before we go on with our agenda. Remarks before we go on with our arenda. ,. ,. ,. Agenda. Eight months ago the Church Commissioners, agenda. Eight months ago the Church Commissioners, after agenda. Eight months ago the Church Commissioners, after a agenda. Eight months ago the Church Commissioners, after a very agenda. Eight months ago the church | commissioners, after a very thorough and careful commissioners, after a very thorough and careful selection process, brought and careful selection process, brought together an independent Group Brought together an independent group of brought together an independent group of 14 quite different specialists, primarily african descendants, to begin the work of helping descendants, to begin the work of helping them shape and deliver a response helping them shape and deliver a response to the Research Findings of the Church Response to the Research Findings of the Church Commissioners into links with african the Church Commissioners into links with African Chattel Enslavement and to articulate a way forward built from to articulate a way forward built from the to articulate a way forward built from the commission as commitment of £100 from the commission as commitment of £100 million of funding. The oversight of £100 million of funding. The Oversight Group is composed of people Oversight Group is composed of people from a mix of disciplines. Theology. People from a mix of disciplines. Theology, finance, law, philanthropy, community organising, academia, philanthropy, community organising, academia, African Diaspora studies, and a academia, African Diaspora studies, ahd a mix academia, African Diaspora studies, and a mix of academia, African Diaspora studies, and a mix of backgrounds, including descendants of victims of chattel enslavement, along with people from other ethnic groups and ancestries. And at other ethnic groups and ancestries. And at least one known descendant of chattel and at least one known descendant of chattel slave holders. This was intentional. To draw on the input and insight intentional. To draw on the input and insight of these members, to ensure and insight of these members, to ensure a and insight of these members, to ensure a holistic approach. Of thought ensure a holistic approach. Of thought in the group the diversity thought in the group the diversity of thought in the group has been diversity of thought in the group has been key to its success. Every member has been key to its success. Every member has different beliefs, different areas of passion. Most importantly, different skills and expertise to bring to the task. From the outset, expertise to bring to the task. From the outset, the group committed themselves to maximise the time they could and themselves to maximise the time they could and would find to work together, to collaborate, to co create. This was because they could co create. This was because they could sense co create. This was because they could sense the commissioners intentionality and desire for change intentionality and desire for change. They agreed on Core Principles change. They agreed on Core Principles of non repetition. 0f principles of non repetition. Of transparency and of healing. A Vision Transparency and of healing. A Vision Of Transparency and of healing. A vision of bold investment in communities impacted by African Chattel communities impacted by African Chattel Enslavement. And they set ground chattel enslavement. And they set ground rules of Deep Listening and respect ground rules of Deep Listening and respect for all perspectives. And they committed to a Community Engagement and Consultation Process that was engagement and Consultation Process that was both local, national and international so that we could test out the international so that we could test out the proposed elements of the programme. This programme that has been recommended to and accepted by the church been recommended to and accepted by the Church Commissioners has come about the Church Commissioners has come about after the Church Commissioners has come about after Deep Listening. It is so bold and about after Deep Listening. It is so bold and hope filled programme that seeks bold and hope filled programme that seeks to bold and hope filled programme that seeks to bring about Culture Change in the seeks to bring about Culture Change in the mission work of the commissioners and concomitantly the Church Commissioners and Concomitantly The Church Of Commissioners and concomitantly the Church Of England. Recommendations and programmes of action will enable the church and programmes of action will enable the Church Commissioners to commence an audacious the Church Commissioners to commence an audacious programme of impact investment, research and better engagement, more engagement, to help brin engagement, more engagement, to help bring about engagement, more engagement, to help bring about a better and fairer future bring about a better and fairer future for bring about a better and fairer future for all, particularly for communities affected by historic siavery~ communities affected by historic slavery. But its notjust about the future, slavery. But its notjust about the future, its slavery. But its notjust about the future, its about the now. So its actually future, its about the now. So its actually a future, its about the now. So its actually a better now and a Better Future actually a better now and a Better Future. This work recognises that it cannot future. This work recognises that it cannot heat future. This work recognises that it cannot heal our scars but it can change cannot heal our scars but it can change the cannot heal our scars but it can change the way we change in the present change the way we change in the present by building programmes based onjustice, present by building programmes based onjustice, healing and repair. And it can onjustice, healing and repair. And it can provide a legacy for a hopeful it can provide a legacy for a hopeful future. This takes us one step further as repairers of the breach step further as repairers of the breach and it is a most necessary step breach and it is a most necessary step thank breach and it is a most necessary step. Thank you. Breach and it is a most necessary step. Thank you. Thank you, bishop rosemary step. Thank you. Thank you, bishop rosemary as step. Thank you. Thank you, bishop rosemary. As we step. Thank you. Thank you, bishop rosemary. As we go step. Thank you. Thank you, bishop rosemary. As we go on step. Thank you. Thank you, bishop i rosemary. As we go on understanding what has been happening, and listening in, iwould what has been happening, and listening in, i would like to turn to gareth first, and then nigel, both as the Church Commissioners chief executive, gareth, and nigel as a member of the board of Church Commissioners. Gareth, first to you. I think nigel, first. Filth. Commissioners. Gareth, first to you. I think nigel, first. Ithink nigel, first. 0h, right. Can ithink nigel, first. 0h, right. Can i ause ithink nigel, first. 0h, right. Can i pause to ithink nigel, first. 0h, right. Can i pause to death ithink nigel, first. 0h, right. Can i pause to death is ithink nigel, first. 0h, right. Can i pause to death is that ithink nigel, first. 0h, right. Can i pause to death is that i ithink nigel, first. 0h, right. Can i pause to death is that i realised | i pause to death is that i realised i pause to death is that i realised i jumped i pause to death is that i realised ijumped ahead in my enthusiasm to get the questions and discussion going. I will turn to patrick next. I was privileged to be part of this process i was privileged to be part of this process. We have to recognise this, one of process. We have to recognise this, one of the process. We have to recognise this, one of the major institutes and is of british one of the major institutes and is of British Society to put our hand up of British Society to put our hand up and of British Society to put our hand up and say of British Society to put our hand up and say we benefited from African Chattei up and say we benefited from African Chattel Enslavement, and we have to do the chattel enslavement, and we have to do the right chattel enslavement, and we have to do the right thing. It has been a fantastic do the right thing. It has been a fantastic experience to work with a whole fantastic experience to work with a whole range of colleagues and individual, some ive worked with before, individual, some ive worked with before, some of whom i knew. The key thing. Before, some of whom i knew. The key thing, despite our different perspectives we have a clear common oal perspectives we have a clear common goat around perspectives we have a clear common goal around justice and healing and repair~ goal around justice and healing and repair~ i goal around justice and healing and repair. I urge everyone to read the report, repair. I urge everyone to read the report, read repair. I urge everyone to read the report, read all the recommendations, and i hope this will inspire recommendations, and i hope this will inspire other institutions and organisations who have been involved in a Similar Organisations who have been involved in a similar history, Like The Church in a similar history, Like The Church of in a similar history, like the Church Of England, to recognise they have to Church Of England, to recognise they have to look at righting the wrongs. And when have to look at righting the wrongs. And when i have to look at righting the wrongs. And when i say that, i mean it in the biblical and when i say that, i mean it in the biblical expression, but also an expression the biblical expression, but also an expression of reparation, a resort tojustice expression of reparation, a resort tojustice. This is a journey expression of reparation, a resort to justice. This is a journey for the church to justice. This is a journey for the Church Of England but maybe it is also the Church Of England but maybe it is also a the Church Of England but maybe it is also a journey for this country as welt, is also a journey for this country as welt, to is also a journey for this country as well, to look at the past, to heat as well, to look at the past, to heat and as well, to look at the past, to heal. And we havent had enough conversations around healing. I hope this witi conversations around healing. I hope this will start that journey and that process. This will start that ourney and that processh this will start that ourney and that rocess. ~ ,. ,. , that process. Thank you for those dee that process. Thank you for those dee and that process. Thank you for those deep and challenging that process. Thank you for those deep and challenging reflectionsl that process. Thank you for those l deep and challenging reflections at the beginning of this press conference. Can we turn to detail for your reflections. fine conference. Can we turn to detail for your reflections. For your reflections. One of the most remarkable for your reflections. One of the most remarkable things for your reflections. One of the most remarkable things aboutl for your reflections. One of the. Most remarkable things about this fund is most remarkable things about this fund is that it is an Investment Fund fund is that it is an Investment Fund. What makes a fund and impact Investment Fund. What makes a fund and impact Investment Fund . It requires intentionality of impact, it requires intentionality of impact, it requires structures governing the impact requires structures governing the impact intended to be had. It requires impact intended to be had. It requires a impact intended to be had. It requires a very clear monitoring of the performance, the financial, economic. The performance, the financial, economic, the inclusion elements of the investments that are being made. 50 i the investments that are being made. So i cant the investments that are being made. 50 i cant think of a better way to so i cant think of a better way to align so i cant think of a better way to align with so i cant think of a better way to align with what Church Commissioners, as are recognised and respected commissioners, as are recognised and respected Institutional Investment organisation, is able to bring and unlock organisation, is able to bring and unlock in organisation, is able to bring and unlock in what is deep inequity that currently unlock in what is deep inequity that currently exists in who receives capitai~ currently exists in who receives capital. All the products and services capital. All the products and services we are using as individuals in our services we are using as individuals in our communities, in our country, which in our communities, in our country, which is in our communities, in our country, which is adding to the Economic Growth which is adding to the Economic Growth of which is adding to the Economic Growth of our countries, all of that is financed, growth of our countries, all of that is financed, most of it is actually sitting is financed, most of it is actually sitting in is financed, most of it is actually sitting in private hands, and this Capitat Sitting in private hands, and this capital is sitting in private hands, and this capital is going to go far in trying to address capital is going to go far in trying to address that breach that is there currentiv to address that breach that is there currently. And in doing so there is great currently. And in doing so there is great attention to focus on key themes, great attention to focus on key themes, which include thriving mines. Themes, which include thriving mines, education, which includes healthy mines, education, which includes healthy bodies, mental as well as physical healthy bodies, mental as well as physical health for all people, for the benefit of all of us. It includes the benefit of all of us. It includes access to land, it includes access includes access to land, it includes access to includes access to land, it includes access to food, all critical matters we can access to food, all critical matters we can imagine in todays world are hugely we can imagine in todays world are hugely affecting how we live our lives, hugely affecting how we live our lives, but hugely affecting how we live our lives, but for the future it can fundamentally shift the way