A NATIONAL roadshow which aims to help Christians reclaim the Millennium celebrations will be launched in East Lancashire.

Church and civic leaders, senior business people and members of Christian congregations will gather to hear first details of the plan at Blackburn Cathedral on Tuesday, October 21.

The briefings, organised by Christian umbrella body Churches Together in England, are designed to offer the nation an alternative agenda, which is not dependent on "domes, large capital projects or computer crashes."

It will stop off at nine other churches and cathedrals across the country during the next three months.

The Bishop of Blackburn, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters, said: "This is an important process, beginning in Blackburn, of spreading the message throughout England of what the Millennium is really about.

"These roadshows will help the churches inform their local communities and plan to show the Christian content that must lie at the heart of the Millennium celebrations."

The theme to be unveiled will be "A New Start" and will focus on Christian involvement in justice for the world's poor, Britain's social needs and the growth of faith.

The Provost of Blackburn, the Very Rev David Frayne, added: "I am pleased Blackburn has been chosen to be the first of these important and significant occasions."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.