Janet Davies, who has passed away at age 89, spent much of her professional life engaged in international development work and cross-denominational religious collaboration. From 1968 to 1986, she served with Christian Aid in the Merseyside and north-west regions of England, eventually assuming a regional organizing role. Operating from Liverpool and collaborating with Edward Patey, then dean of the city, Davies applied her communication and networking abilities to build grassroots partnerships across different Christian traditions, helping to organize Christian Aid Week activities. Her efforts contributed to the formation of the Merseyside Churches Ecumenical Council, which aided in establishing conditions for later collaborative initiatives among religious leaders.
Born in Formby, Lancashire, Davies trained as a secretary before her work with Christian Aid. She was accomplished as a pianist and choral singer. In 1968, she married Alan Davies, an occupational therapist, whom she met at the Southport Gramophone Society. He supported her charitable work until his death from cancer eleven years later.
Davies traveled internationally on behalf of Christian Aid, visiting locations including Kolkata in 1975, South Africa in the late 1970s and early 1980s, and Lebanon and Palestinian territories beginning in 1982. These experiences shaped her evolving commitment to advocating for social justice and peace in regions affected by conflict and poverty. She obtained a certificate in theology from Birmingham University in 1994 and authored a contribution to a 2000 edited volume reflecting on Western Christian perspectives of the Holy Land.
Later in her career, Davies became involved in Middle East peace advocacy through organizations including USPG from the mid-1980s to early 1990s and the United Reformed Church from 1992 to 1995. Following her retirement, she established Sabeel-Kairos UK, an organization focused on supporting the Palestinian Christian community. She is survived by her brother and nine nieces and nephews, with an older brother having predeceased her.
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