The suicide of a 92 year-old Christian woman, dubbed Britain's oldest poppy seller, has prompted calls for an ‘Olive's Law’ to be introduced, to curb unsolicited phone calls from charities looking for money. According to her family and friends, Olive was driven to her death partly because she was ‘exhausted’ by the constant demands of cold calls and direct mail from charities, many of which she had supported over the years. Now the Government is being urged to take action, by introducing a so-called ‘Olive's Law’. Labour MP for Bristol East, Kerry McCarthy, said, ‘We don't want to impede charities in their efforts to raise much-needed support, but if a law change is needed to stop vulnerable people like Olive being harassed, then so be it.’ The Institute of Fundraising Standards Committee said it will bring together representatives from across the charity sector to review the case.

A YouGov poll of 3,000 adults found that the public are interested in religious leaders, but no longer give them the authority they used to possess. To influence people and make a difference in today's world, religious leaders have to possess personal charisma and an important post. They also have to show they have triumphed over personal struggle and strife of their own. The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, was found to have made the ‘best contribution’ to moral and religious life in Britain. Pope Francis was joint second with the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. The British are particularly impressed by leaders who have made stands for the marginalised.

The leaders of four Protestant denominations have written an open letter to Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to review the benefit sanctions regime and to delay a decision on replacing the Trident nuclear weapons system. They also urge ‘assertive international action to uphold human rights and deliver humanitarian assistance in Syria’ and ‘action to make freedom of religion a human rights priority in all aspects of foreign policy’. The open letter was signed by leaders of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Church of Scotland, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church. It says, ‘We hope and pray that as you make decisions about your programme for government, you will choose to offer the greatest support to those of our neighbours who are the weakest, the most vulnerable and the most in need of our help. Such policies will not always be popular, but they are necessary if we are to live out the common good.’

A Christian couple whose adopted children were taken into care have been granted permission for their case to be heard in full before the Court of Appeal. At the conclusion of a hearing Lady Justice Black ordered the case to proceed to a full hearing for a review as to whether the Family Court had taken the right factors into account when deciding the boys’ future, and whether they had given proper weight to the good parenting given to the children for three years prior to their forced removal. They had provided a loving home for the two boys who had come from highly traumatised backgrounds. The Christian Legal Centre said they are dealing with an increasing number of cases where children are separated from parents and because of the closed nature of the Family Court system it is difficult to expose such heartbreaking injustice. This has to change.