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ARCHBISHOP VISITS CHRISTMAS CAMPAIGN POSTER AT LAMBETH BUS STOP

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, gave his support to our national Christmas poster campaign at a bus stop in Lambeth today, 17 December 2008.

The poster, which will be seen by millions at donated Clear Channel Outdoor UK bus stops across the country, is a 4ft by 6ft reproduction of an oil painting by Royal Academy Gold medal winner, Andrew Gadd. The poster shows Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus, with halos, in an urban bus shelter.

It is expected that the setting of this Nativity and the haunting faces of those depicted will move the millions who will see the image this Christmas, turning real bus shelters into shrines by making them places where people can reflect on how we respond to the real meaning of Christmas in a busy world. Find out the Nativity bus shelter nearest you and how you can use it creatively.

The campaign comes as research shows just 1 in 8 of Britons have a detailed knowledge of the Nativity, dropping to 7 per cent of under 18-24 year olds.*

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, said: "At a time when fewer young people have a detailed knowledge of the Nativity, it is important that we use all possible means to tell the Christmas story: that Jesus, the Son of God, was born, he knew what it meant to be without wealth, he knew what it meant to grow up disadvantaged, he knew what it meant to turn to God in prayer, faith and hope. I hope this image of the Holy Family, in a contemporary setting, moves those who see it to stop, pray and reflect on what the birth of Jesus means to them in their daily lives."

Andrew Gadd, the artist who created the poster image, said: "It's great to see the posters in place. This has been a very exciting project to work on. I wanted to create an image that does not explain, but demonstrate the values that I think the church wants to communicate. The bus stop when simplified is like a stable. It is after all a shelter; a place people go to but never want to be. So where better to stage a Nativity?"

Chair of CAN, Francis Goodwin, said: "We want to challenge people to reassess what the birth of Jesus means to them. By using a powerful and contemporary piece of art, from a world renowned painter, we can create an enduring image for our own times. It is important for the churches to re-establish in this generation the wonderful story of the Nativity."

* ComRes Poll of 1,000 people, December 2007, 1015 telephone polled.