LEADING figures met in Nelson to discuss the "sea of change" in teaching religious education in schools.

Chairman of Lancashire County Council, Vali Patel, joined the Bishop of Burnley, John Goddard, and more than 100 delegates for a conference to discuss interfaith teaching in primary schools.

Mrs Saeed Ishaq, head of a primary multi-faith school in Manchester, was also a keynote speaker at the debate.

The conference was organised by Building Bridges Interfaith Community Project to look at work already being carried out at schools to improve social awareness.

It was held to shape the teaching of religious education and personal social and health education in Lancashire schools in the future.

Debates centred around the question of getting the cultural mix right in schools in multi-faith areas with a special workshop by the headteacher of Edge End School, Nelson.

A second workshop looked at the vital input that single faith schools can have on the social cohesion agenda.

And the Building Bridges team presented their own six-week programme of social cohesion which they are currently presenting to more than half of the primary schools in Pendle.

Chairman, Vali Patel, said: "It's all about social cohesion which is not just about race and cultural relations, but other challenges which children face such as sexual awareness and disabilities. The county council recognises it is important to prioritise action on social inclusion in those areas of the county which have in them the most deprived neighbourhoods.

"But we also recognise many disadvantaged people live outside those areas, such as in rural communities.

"Some very strong legislative instruments are already in place to support the close working of partners across Lancashire and a great deal of progress is being made in the field of gender and disabilities.

"But there is still a long way to go in the fields of race, religion and social. I feel the race issue is lagging behind and this is something that we must redress.

"We need the strongest, most hardworking people to unite to make race relations work. Then, all Lancashire people can live their lives in harmony."