Shropshire election candidates coming under the spotlight at church hustings
Prospective MPs for Shropshire will be put through their paces at a series of hustings organised by churches across the county in the run up to next month's General Election.
The hustings begin at the Three Tuns pub in Bishop's Castle at 7.30pm on April 9, with the first of four meetings in the Ludlow constituency, which will be chaired by farmer and church member Edward Owen.
The Ludlow candidates will then be at St Mary's Church in East Castle Street, Bridgnorth, at 7.30pm on April 14 in a meeting chaired by the Rev Simon Cawdell.
They will then be at Church Stretton Methodist Church in Westfaling Street South for a meeting organised by Churches Together on April 16, starting at 7.30pm.
The final event in the constituency will be at Ludlow CE School on April 23, where the candidates will be welcomed by Bishop of Ludlow Rt Rev Alistair Magowan, at a session chaired by the town's rector the Rev Colin Williams.
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In the Telford and Wrekin constituencies, meetings have been organised by Telford Christian Council and chaired at both hustings by Radio Shropshire presenter Jim Hawkins.
The Telford constituency candidates will be at Madeley Baptist Church on April 16 at 7pm. The Wrekin meeting is at All Saints' Church in Wellington on April 22 at 7.30pm.
There will be a debate for Shrewsbury and Atcham's candidates at Meole Brace Church Centre on April 22, starting at 7.30pm, followed by a meeting for the North Shropshire constituency at Oswestry Methodist Church Hall, chaired by the Rev Simon Thorburn at the same time on April 28.
Hereford Diocese communications officer Anni Holden said: "Many people say that the church should stay out of politics and it is certainly not our job to tell people how to vote.
"An election, however, gives the churches a clear role as they host meetings of the candidates. I hope as many people as possible will get to their nearest meeting and test out the candidates in their constituencies."
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