By Dan Wooding

Founder of ASSIST Ministries

WAKEFIELD, UK (ANS) -- Wakefield District Housing (WDH) in Yorkshire, England, has backed down on its policy forbidding a Christian van driver from displaying his cross in his company van

According to Karen Peake writing in www.christiantoday.co.uk, Colin Atkinson has battled for the last 18 months for his right to display the small palm cross on the dashboard of his van ever since a complaint was made by a WDH tenant.

“The letter of complaint alleged that displaying the cross in the van might offend people of other faiths,” she said.

WDH told Mr. Atkinson to remove the 8in cross and when he refused, launched an investigation into his apparent failure to comply with company rules banning all personal effects in company vans.

“Although the company took a hard line with Mr. Atkinson, it allows Muslim employees to wear burkas and one Muslim employee is allowed to display a verse from the Koran in her company car,” said Peake.

The company backed down during a closed door meeting on Thursday, April 21, 2011, between WHD executive director of people Gillian Pickersgill, Mr. Atkinson and his Unite union rep Terry Cuncliffe.

Commenting on the outcome of the meeting, Mr. Atkinson told the British Daily Mail: “Christians across the country are being persecuted because of their faith.

“I have not bashed anybody with my Bible. I simply want to be able to demonstrate my faith.”

Karen Peake went on to say that the U-turn has been welcomed by former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey, who said: “I’m so glad. All that was needed was a little bit of compassion and understanding. Where there is a bit of common sense we can find a resolution.”

Dan Wooding, 70, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 47 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly “Front Page Radio” show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried on the Calvary Radio Network throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 200 countries. You can follow Dan on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, “From Tabloid to Truth”, which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel “Red Dagger” which is available this link.

** You may republish this story with proper attribution.