Baptist minister signs Nelson Mandela tribute book  

The Revd Dr Simon Woodman, minister of Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church in London, has become the first Baptist to sign the House of Commons Book of Tribute to Nelson Mandela

The project was initiated by the former Speaker Betty Boothroyd in 1999, and is being compiled by Nic Careem, an anti-apartheid campaigner.

Fellow signatories include Barack Obama, Kofi Annan, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Richard Branson, Paul McCartney, Kylie Minogue, senior journalists, and community leaders.

Simon's contribution came about after he met Nic at the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. Blue Plaque at Bloomsbury earlier this year.

He said, 'I'm delighted to represent the Baptist community in this important project to mark the legacy of Nelson Mandela, whose fearless advocacy of racial justice embodied the biblical call to 'love your neighbour', and continues to challenge us to action against racism in our world.' 

Nic, of the Blue Sky Network social campaigning network, told The Voice last lear, 'It’s been a labour of love. These handwritten messages reflect the respect and venerate a very special, humble man, one whose giant footsteps others try to follow.'

The special book is being prepared for publication in 2025 and will be re-published annually with more signatures added. All profits from sales of the book will support children’s causes in the UK and across the world.

Simon added he and Nic hope to collaborate together in the future on initiatives to address those who sleep rough in London.




Simon wrote, 'Nelson Mandela's fierce advocacy for racial justice embodied the biblical call to "love your neighbour", and can continue to challenge us to action against racism in our world.'