Greg Galluzzo from Gamaliel took part in various events when he visited TCC during his recent visit to the UK.  He met with TCC leaders and trustees, as well as giving an after-dinner speech and talking on BBC Radio Wales. 

He also led a training session for community organisers from TCC, Thrive in Stockton-on-Tees, ChangeMakers in Manchester and Birmingham Citizens. 

Greg was executive director of Gamaliel, a large broad-based organisation in the US, for nearly 25 years.  For 3 years of this time Greg was Barack Obama’s mentor when he worked as a community organiser.  Now Greg is working with community organising groups like TCC in the UK, the US and Africa. 

The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church today lent its support to the campaign to ensure that low-paid workers earn enough to support their families.

"Although this is a difficult economic climate, workers still need to be able to make ends meet," said Reverend Bryn Williams, the Church's General Secretary. "Half the children living in poverty in Wales come from working families. Families and communities suffer as, for example, parents work long hours or take on two or three jobs in order to buy essentials such as food and fuel."

"It is important that churches takes the lead on this. As an employer, the Church has a moral responsibility towards its workers - so we will not pay the market price for labour if it means that our workers struggle to support themselves and their families. We value every individual and their different talents and skills. We want to show this by paying a wage which reflects that we value our staff and want to bear in mind their needs and welfare.

"From now on, all our central staff will be paid a wage which allows them an acceptable standard of living. And I am pleased to say that this was already the case for the vast majority of our staff. But we will also be working with our local churches to ensure that all those employed locally - cleaners and so on - also receive the living wage. Some of our partners, such as TCC (Together Creating Communities) in Wrexham as well as British charities such as Church Action on Poverty, have already campainged hard on this matter and we are proud to be able to join the campaign."

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