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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 17th January 2002
TOP RELIGIOUS FIGURES BACK NATIONAL MARRIAGE WEEK 2002
National Marriage Week, 10 17 February 2002
National Marriage Week this year celebrates its sixth anniversary with widespread support from a host of senior religious figures and marriage and relationship experts. Among those speaking at the launch event on Friday 8th February are Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Cardinal Cormac Murphy O'Connor, Mary Maclead, CEO of National Parenting Institute and Angela Sibson, CEO of RELATE.
Steve Chalke, Founding Director of the Oasis Trust, who is also contributing on the day says, "There is no escaping it - married life isn't a fairy tale, it's hard work! Juggling family pressures, hectic work schedules and a million other distractions all add to the strain. Yet despite this, marriage is widely considered to be the best basis on which to build a healthy society and I for one believe that it is worth the effort. However, marriages need to be nurtured and I am delighted to offer my support to National Marriage Week as it seeks to help couples grow in their relationships."
The focus of National Marriage Week 2002, which is expected to be bigger than ever, is to motivate and empower people to support marriages in their work place and local communities and to promote it as an important basis for stable family and community life.
Richard Kane, founder of National Marriage Week and director of the Futureway Trust explains: "It is time to get serious about teaching couples at all stages of married life, the skills to learn how to resolve conflict without blowing the relationship apart. We are calling for a much greater emphasis to be placed upon preventative strategies which will give couples the tools they need to overcome the challenges which any intense relationship presents and enable them to emerge stronger and more in love than before."
Many leading marriage and relationship organisations including CARE for the Family, RELATE and Marriage Care and high profile religious figures will be taking part in a marriage conference and discussion forum following the media launch on Friday 8th February. Roman Catholic Bishop, Charles Henderson, Revd Steve Chalke, Nicky Lee and Indarjit Singh are amongst those contributing.
Spearheading this year's pro-marriage campaign is a specially commissioned book based on the cartoon couple entitled "A Year in the Life of Jon & Japonika". The 80-page illustrated book, written by award-winning author Clive Price, tells the story of a post-modern couple who, through their own experiences, reveal the truth behind seven commonly held marriage myths. Priced at £4.95, it will be published to coincide with the launch of National Marriage Week.
National Marriage Week's popularity has grown over the years with Prime Ministers and top MPs, archbishops and religious leaders, sports personalities and celebrities helping to promote marriage by identifying with the event. Visit www.nmw.org.uk and the Jon & Japonika website www.jonandjaponika.com
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For further information, interviews and artwork please contact Gemma Crosland at Oasis Media 020 7450 9053 or via email gemma.crosland@oasismedia.co.uk For all other enquiries please contact Angie Newnham at Futureway Trust 01202 883887 or via email admin@futureway.org.uk |