The Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham paid tribute to a Nottinghamshire woman who spent her life supporting and campaigning for homeless and vulnerable people, following her death today (Friday, 27th June 2008).

Christine Russell, who had been battling against breast cancer, died peacefully at her home in Southwell.

She was well-known to many in the voluntary sector and the Church of England. Up until her death she had a senior role including strategic planning and direction for the in the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, representing church members as chair of the House of Laity.
 
The Bishop of Southwell & Nottingham, the Rt Revd George Cassidy said: “Christine made an immense contribution to the life of the church and also to the most vulnerable people of the City and County of Nottingham. She taught us all the true meaning of Christian charity as she lived out a life of love that not only gave practical help but would tackle difficult management choices.  She played a major part in encouraging and equipping the lay people of the church to play a full part in the mission God shares with us all, whether at work, in families and communities, in parishes or in Synods and other Church meetings. Through all of this she showed the kind of courage and positive attitude to faith and life she showed since the cancer was diagnosed. She continued to make this significant contribution right to the end of her life.”

Christine Russell was instrumental in establishing the award-winning Nottinghamshire homeless charity – Framework. Originally from Newark, where she was born, she was the daughter of a clergyman and spent her teens in the villages of Dunham–on-Trent and Norwell. She attended Newark High School and studied English at Manchester University and then social administration at the London School of Economics, before becoming a youth leader in London’s East End. Following this she worked in Leeds, and then returned to Nottinghamshire as a student counsellor and lecturer. She later gave up teaching to become a social worker. In 1982 she was appointed as the Social Responsibility Officer for the Diocese of Southwell – becoming the first woman to hold the post in the Church of England. This role also involved her being the administrator of Family Care (the Nottingham-based adoption and family support charity). In 1991 she became the Chief Executive of homeless charity – Macedon. During her 10 years with the Nottingham-based charity she oversaw many developments, including night shelters and the opening of the first accommodation for homeless women. Her final challenge was to oversee the charity’s merger with another Nottingham homeless charity to form Framework Housing Association in 2001. After leaving Framework, Christine was involved in a range of activities from training, to education and voluntary work with the Church of England. She was also an active campaigner for Fair Trade and Make Poverty History and was a member of the Church of England’s working party on domestic abuse.

In 2002 Christine received a Windrush Award for Notable Community and Public Service to the city of Nottingham and a new homeless hostel – Russell House in Newark - was named after her when it was opened in 2007.Christine was also an active member of the Cursillo movement, becoming its lay director in the diocese for a time. The movement provides a method by which Christians are empowered to grow through prayer, study and action and enabled to share God’s love with everyone. In Christine’s life, prayer, study and action, became one expression of her very active Christian faith.

The funeral will be on Thursday, 10th July at 12noon at Holy Trinity Church, Southwell, Nottinghamshire.

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