A three day conference called GC3 (Great Commandment + Great Commission + Great City) will kick off on Thursday evening.

It comes as Metropolitan Police statistics revealed this week that gun and knife crime has risen by a fifth in London.

Rev Chris Green, the vicar of St James Church Muswell Hill where the conference will take place, told Premier News Hour there will be interviews, fellowship, seminars and more.

“We’re trying to get a bunch of churches together in north London to pray and worship and praise and challenge one another in terms of what we can do to reach London and help transform our communities for the gospel,” he said.

However, he said the work only starts at the conference but must continue afterwards.

Rev Green added: “The difference will be when churches decide to make a difference themselves. We’re getting together to pray, to challenge one another.

“It’s not to a conference that you look. It’s to an individual church which is deciding week by week, day by day, to love the neighbours in their area.”

Listen to Chris Green speaking with Premier here: 

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As thousands of children revise for exams experts have said poor food choices could have a negative impact on brain functions.

Nutritionist Diana Wright told Premier about why giving sweet snacks all the time to children is a bad idea.

“We do use up a lot of glucose to be thinking but actually we also need protein and protein stops the lows that come with the highs,” she explained.

A new poll found one in four parents admits to feeding their kids things like ice cream to help reduce their stress – 24 per cent said they gave chocolate and 15 per cent said they offered fizzy drinks.

The poll commissioned by online ethical grocer, Farmdrop of 1,500 British adults and 500 students also found 11 per cent give their children a take-away at least once a week during exam season, while just 3 per cent offer healthy fruit and vegetables as a revision session snack.

Wright told Premier healthier snacks and trusting God can make all the difference.

“Knowing he’s there right beside you and helping you along the way,” she said.

“Just rest in his presence, rest in prayer and peace as well as good protein and slow-release carbohydrates throughout the day.”

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Extensive tests were carried out after they were found five years ago and studies showed they had been held captive in the then empty Durham Cathedral following the 1650 Battle of Dunbar.

A simple graveside ceremony reflective of the 17th century will be held on Friday at Elvet Hill Road Cemetery, less than a mile from where they were found..

During the reburial service people will have the opportunity to scatter a handful of Scottish soil into the grave, in acknowledgement of the origins of many of the soldiers.

Professor Chris Gerrard, of Durham University’s Department of Archaeology, said: “It has been a privilege to research these soldiers and, having learnt so much from their remains, it was important to us to lay them to rest with respect and dignity.

“Today we are able to give these men the burial they were denied when they died almost 400 years ago.”

The reburial service has been designed by Durham Cathedral, and representatives from the Church of Scotland and the Scottish Episcopal Church were invited to comment, to ensure a respectful and dignified final committal.

Metrical Psalms from the 1650 Scottish Psalter and a Bible reading from the 1611 King James Version have been included in the service, in keeping with the traditions of those who died.

Undated handout file photo issued by Durham University of…

Shirley Ballas said she “couldn’t think of anything more exciting” than having a same-sex couple take part in the show.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Ballas said: “They’re just about to have the final of the Italian version of Strictly. A same-sex couple, two men, made the final.”

Asked about the possibility of that happening on the UK show, she said: “I think it’s spectacular. I think things are changing. I couldn’t think of anything more exciting. I’m for it.”

Contestant from last year’s series, Rev Richard Coles, who is in a civil partnership with his partner, previously argued that it made “no sense” that anyone would resist having dancers of the same gender taking to the floor together.

He told Digital Spy during his time on the show that he had “a discussion” with bosses on the show about having same-sex couples taking part.

Reverend Richard Coles and Charlotte Hawkins at the launch of Strictly Come Dancing 2017 at Broadcasting House in London.

“It’s just a question of doing it. I think this year would be a good year to do it actually, with the 50th anniversary of sexual offences act (which decriminalised sex between two men aged more than 21),” he said.

Fellow judge Craig Revel Horwood has previously said the BBC should make the move and predicted it will happen soon.

However, previous…

Ministers announced on Thursday morning that the maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs) will be slashed from £100 to £2.

The move will be welcomed by Church of England leaders including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, who previously warned the machines cause “great harm”.

Terminals currently allow punters to place bets of up to £100 up to every 20 seconds.

The culture secretary Matt Hancock came under significant pressure to introduce a new cap a stakes, amid concerns for people experiencing a serious gambling problem.

The proposal prompted strong opposition from bookmakers, with William Hill warning such a move could jeopardise 20,000 British jobs and see the Treasury forfeit £1 billion in taxes.

A review by the gambling regulator earlier this year recommended that the maximum stake of FOBTs should be set at £30 or below.

Mike Dixon, chief executive of drug and alcohol charity Addaction, said: “”This is a big and important change for many people we work with.

“Matt Hancock deserves real credit for taking this decision.

“It will change a lot of people’s lives, and stop gambling companies preying on people when they’re most vulnerable.”

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