Dr David William Golding CBE PhD DSc DCL
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! Thank you for wanting to make poverty history. Well done. Go on to the Jubilee, on to Trade Justice and on to make poverty history!” (Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in response to the ‘Service on thanksgiving and recommitment to Make Poverty History’ attended by 1,100 people, arranged by David Golding in Durham Cathedral, January 2006)
David Golding has shown “superb leadership, not only in Newcastle and the North East, but in the whole country”. (Rt Hon. Gordon Brown, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his address at Newcastle University’s Special Honorary Degree Ceremony, on 8th January, 2007)
“You’re our star performer!”, declared Fiona Dear, of the national Climate Coalition of 120 agencies (Greenpeace, Christian Aid, National Trust, etc.) in 2008, referring to North East CALL TO ACTION, a voluntary grouping, Tees-Tweed, instigated and led by David Golding.
“In my first months as Bishop of Durham, I became aware of the challenge that North East CALL TO ACTION continues to voice. I want to make clear my strong support for the issues and the remedies it promotes.” (Most Revd Justin Welby, when Bishop of Durham, 2012, in a message to David Golding accepting his invitation to become the group’s principal Patron.)
“Thank you for your commitment over the past decade, and even more for extending it until the end of the current one. You are setting a great example!” (Sir Nigel Sherlock KCVO, OBE, JP, former Lord Lieutenant of Tyne & Wear, June 2015)
“David’s leadership and guidance of North East Call to Action have been outstanding over a long period. He prophetically led the way. Others will now have to keep up the pressure, campaigning and action for the sake of the good of the whole planet. As he steps down, may God’s blessing rest on David in all that lies ahead of him.” (Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, March 2022)
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“Dr David Golding CBE has been a Member of Whitley Bay Baptist Church for many years and despite many other calls on his time continued to be most regular in his involvement in the local church, where he is a valued and much-loved Member. David is an eloquent and capable speaker and all that he has to say is founded securely in the Word of God. He is a passionate advocate of the Jubilee Debt Campaign and the need for a comprehensive response to the dangers of Climate Change. He and his wife, Veronica, are both committed supporters of the work of Tearfund.” (Revd Paul Newman B.Ed., B.D., Senior Pastor, Whitley Bay Baptist Church)
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Personal:
I was born in 1940 and brought up on the south-east fringes of London - most of my earliest memories are of bomb shelters, etc. – and attended local primary, junior and high schools. Undergraduate and postgraduate at Bristol University; undertook research in Berkeley California and Cambridge; and, from 1968-2005, was a lecturer and senior lecturer at Newcastle University. My Ph.D. and senior doctorate (D.Sc.) are both from Bristol, conferred for biological research. After ‘retirement’, I became an Honorary Chaplain in the university and was an Associate in its Institute for Sustainability until September 2021.
I was brought up and baptized in a Pentecostal church, but during my teenage years, I was greatly influenced by Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones at Westminster Chapel, London, and the writings of the Anglican theologian, Dr James Packer. The other major influence on my outlook is the heritage of Christian social reform exemplified by William Wilberforce, etc., and the ‘Integrated Mission’ perspective as expounded by the Christian relief and development agency, Tearfund.
I have worked happily with men and women of good will of all faiths and none.
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Support for Whitley Bay Baptist Church:
I was a member in good standing in Whitley Bay Baptist Church for over 53 years (gulp!). For many years I served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher/superintendent; and for the last decade I was a house group leader and a children’s group helper on Sundays.
Support for Tearfund:
My wife, Veronica, got us involved in Tearfund and, since 1985, I have been one of its voluntary spokespersons, raising awareness and funds for its work on disaster relief and community development in the low income countries.
Support for Blue Sky Trust:
I was a Trustee of Blue Sky Trust, a regional Christian HIV/AIDS counselling and support charity, for the past decade.
Support for Jubilee 2000/Jubilee Debt Campaign/Debt Justice:
Tearfund was one of the four British agencies that launched the Third World debt campaign (Jubilee 2000, then Jubilee Debt Campaign (JDC) – now Debt Justice!) in 1996 and I heard about the issue in that way. My immediate reaction was that no one would take the slightest bit of notice, but that I had to do all I could to support it. I led the campaign in the North East until the end of 2000 and then took the leading role in the restoration of the national JDC coalition in early 2001 – apart from family matters, this is the best thing I’ve done in my life. I also took a leading role in securing a law, in 2010, banning the predatory actions of ‘Vulture Funds’ – when it passed was one of the happiest days of my life! When I stepped down in 2021, I was the only founder member of the national Board of Trustees to have served consecutively since 2001.
I was the architect of the Jubilee Debt Campaign at Newcastle University (the current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Day, was the fourth V-C to act as our Patron!), the only campus-wide grouping for poor country debt relief in the world, and since 2002 I organised a team in the Great North Run. We raised over £250,000 for ‘Action on global poverty and climate change’. I was the instigator, leader and spokesperson for the region-wide North East CALL TO ACTION (formerly Make Poverty History North East) - “You (i.e., NE-CAP) are our star performer!” (Fiona Dear, Campaign’s Director at the (national) Climate Coalition) until 2022. Its principal Patron was Rt Revd Paul Butler, the fourth Bishop of Durham to provide such support!
Support for the Climate Campaign:
Most of my efforts since 2006 have been devoted to the study of climate change and to advocacy in that connection, at Newcastle University, in churches and in the wider community. My grasp of the issues has not gone unnoticed: in December 2009, for example, when campaign leaders met Gordon Brown, the PM, after the national Climate March and Rally in London, I was asked to put the first question – I still have its text!
And my activities have not been entirely without God’s blessing! In 2008, at the direct personal request of Paul Brannen, then Director of Advocacy at Christian Aid, I took over a fractious Christian Aid/Greenpeace group (I’m a supporter of neither) set up to oppose a proposal by npower to build a monstrous new coal-fired power station at Blyth, Northumberland. My analysis and critique attracted the emphatic endorsement of the late Sir John Houghton FRS, the greatest climate scientist of his generation (and a Christian - Baptist! – believer), and a wide range of other national and regional heavyweights.
We won that one and more recently, I took a leading role in opposing a new opencast mine near the NE beauty spot, Druridge Bay, securing the support of Sir David Attenborough, amongst others. Once again we were granted success. [The outcome of our efforts with respect to the proposed new deep mine in Cumbria has yet to be decided.]
I have supported Christian Climate Action, which works in partnership with XR, in minor, ‘non-arrestable’ ways since 2019 and have had a defence of its stance published by ‘Evangelicals Now'.
Honours
On 8th January 2007, Newcastle University conferred on me its highest honour, the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Civil Law, at a special ceremony to celebrate the achievements of Make Poverty History. The others honoured were Gordon Brown MP, then Chancellor of the Exchequer; Sir Bob Geldof; His Excellency Benjamin Mkapa, the former President of Tanzania; and Susan George. [The event was at my instigation – my personal involvement was not!]
On 1st May 2008, I was invested with the Order of the British Empire with the rank of Commander (CBE) by H.M. The Queen, “for services to the world poverty campaign”.
Hobbies
Hobbies? What hobbies?! Er… it used to be country walking and pub lunches with Veronica and the family, but country walking is a bit beyond me now, but pub lunches with V. still applies!
Testimonials relating to my preaching
“Dear David, You were quite brilliant yesterday! Thank you so much for informing us and challenging us. I’m glad you had people buzzing around you afterwards. Our humble observation of Climate Sunday was greatly enhanced by your central contribution. Thank you for your effort and generosity. Yours ever, Michael.” (The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel, Vice-Dean, Durham Cathedral. He was writing with reference to the Service of Sung Eucharist at Durham Cathedral, on Sunday morning, 17th October, 2021.)
“We draw attention to the wonderful Climate Sunday initiative… to call on churches to hold a climate-focused service before COP26… you can find a wonderful virtual example of what they can look like here – scroll down and click “Listen” - led by [OTT compliment] David Golding from member, East CALL TO ACTION.” (Stuart Neaverson, The Climate Coalition, a largely secular grouping of over 100 agencies - Oxfam, W.I., Greenpeace, etc. - with a combined membership of 22 million people, 25th June, 2021.) [http://www.wbbc.org.uk/sermons/podcast-11-04-2021-a-call-for-commitment-to-creation-care?player=audio]
“Dr Golding has a great gift for communicating effectively with a wide range of audiences. He has a clear mastery of his subject matter, and uses IT with ease to enrich and enhance the spoken word. He preached at an Ecumenical Service in the Cathedral, focussing on the issue of Climate Change, in November 2015, and his address, rooted in Christian scripture and tradition, was informative, engaging and challenging. His passion to alert as many people as possible to the implications of global warming is rooted in his deep Christian faith.” (Very Revd Christopher Dalliston, Dean at St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle upon Tyne)
“Dr David Golding CBE has a compelling capacity to engage the mind while at the same time stirring the heart. His is a powerful, prophetic voice that… exposes the madness and folly of a world which remains locked into unjust systems that penalise the poor. Yet he has a genuine gift of encouragement – as a Footnote in the NIV puts it, ‘of exhorting others with an uplifting call to worthwhile accomplishment’ - which inspires his listeners to approach these matters with faith, hope and love. David’s passion for biblical justice and his practical wisdom combine to make us want to live out more fully our calling to be agents of transformation as God’s fellow workers in His world.” (Revd Jonathan Vickery, Christ Church Downend, Bristol)
“Passion coupled with a deep understanding of his subject help make Dr David Golding one of the most effective communicators I know. A tireless campaigner in the cause of social justice, with the Jubilee Debt Campaign and Make Poverty History, David draws on his academic discipline to bring clarity and insight to his examination of the issues, while his passion and commitment make him an urgent and persuasive campaigner. Listen to what he has to say: it's worth it!” (Peter Collins, Former Head of Church Relations, Traidcraft)
“David Golding is a man of great energy and passion for the sake of God's Kingdom, especially around issues of poverty, justice and the ecological crisis. In the North East of England he is highly respected across the denominations for his campaigning work on behalf of the poor and marginalised, and for being a motivator and activist for change. He is a champion for those who are deprived of a fair share of the world's resources and wealth, and he communicates with challenge and yet with hope. He is able to inspire and bring together coalitions in order to make a difference and facilitate change. I can wholeheartedly commend him as a speaker, wise thinker and change-maker for both churches and wider partnerships which are wanting to address some of the world's most pressing issues.” (Revd Paul Revill, Former Regional Minister for Mission of the Northern Baptist Association)
To see my visit to Tanzania and Zambia in 2011, and the fruits of debt campaigning, go to:
Referees
Professor Sir Christopher Edwards, Formerly Vice-Chancellor at Newcastle University; c.edwards@ncl.ac.uk;
Revd Paul R. Newman, Formerly Senior Pastor, Whitley Bay Baptist Church; paulrussellnewman@outlook.com;
Mrs Billie Anderson, Formerly with Advocacy Team at Tearfund; billieanderson184@gmail.com;
Revd Rick Simpson, Archdeacon of Auckland, Archdeacon.of.Auckland@durham.anglican.org;
Contact:
Dr David Golding CBE
Flat 1, Abbey Court
Tankerton Road,
Whitstable, Kent, CT5 2AP
T. 01 227 262 768 (with voicemail)
M. 07 817 637 746
F. david.golding.50596
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