Charitable action is universally understood as helping those in need, and our community at St Mark's – indeed the other churches in this Chaplaincy of the Church of England – is heavily involved in supporting projects and organisations, both at home and abroad.

   However, a greater challenge to our charity is encompassed by engaging intimately with those we seek to support. This is a transformative process for all involved and underlines the human dignity which is to be acknowledged and respected, even among those who are on the margins of our society, or who exist outside our accepted norms of living.

   St Mark's has greatly supported the work of the Comunita` di Sant' Egidio with the homeless and needy of Florence, many of whom live rough and are routinely exploited by others. But it is not enough simply to appease our consciences through the money and food we supply, (as important as that work remains). It is also important to engage with such people in a meaningful, indeed human, way.

   The Dignity through Art project seeks to highlight the needs of all those who claim Florence to be their home and to acknowledge them as a part of our lives, whatever their personal stories. In so doing, we not only give voice to those who are silenced by their circumstances or choices, but also honour their essential human dignity, and with it, our own.

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