A church leader has used his pulpit to blame a “me-centred” culture for the recent riots across England.

Queen’s Road Church (QRC) has also been praised by Merton Police, based in Wimbledon Police Station across the road, for its volunteer programmes alongside a series of Sunday sermons this month entitled ‘Who Can Help Our City’?

Senior Pastor, Phil Moore, said his sermons were inspired by the “sense of fear” he felt as he walked around Wimbledon town centre last month when it became deserted as businesses anticipated further looting.

Mr Moore said: “We are too quick to blame disaffected youth, one-parent families, ethnic groups and the have-nots in society.

"The truth is that problems go much deeper than this.”

“The riots should force us all to ask fundamental questions about the way we live our lives in this city.”

On Friday evenings the church is opened to more than 200 teenagers who visit each week to play pool and table tennis, and talk about serious issues affecting their lives.

Michael Crick, the church’s youth organiser, said: “We’ve gone from having 20 kids last September to over 200 since July.

"The kids are free to talk about issues that they wouldn’t normally, such as broken families, rejection, sexual ethics and abandonment.”

Merton police Chief Inspector Mark Lawrence praised the church’s volunteering work as “a great example of local people working together”.

He said: “The community-based work that so many churches and other faith groups undertake has a very positive impact on life in Merton.”

For more information go to qrc.org.uk.

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