Imam Shoaib Vawda of Wimbledon Mosque with Andrew last November.

LBFN received the sad news today that our good friend Andrew Wakefield has died.

Combining sharp wit with a generous soul, he was known to so many of us from different religious traditions, public bodies and the business world.

A parish priest in the Church of England, he was a frequent visitor to the Shree Ghanapathy Temple, Wimbledon Mosque, Wimbledon & District Synagogue, Baitul Futuh Mosque and many others. Ahead of his time, Andrew was instrumental in founding London Civic Forum, Faiths Forum for London and Merton Interfaith Forum and was honoured with a Doctorate from Roehampton University last year. Not shy of controversy, he was outspoken on social, political, theological and church issues and was a well-known figure in Merton and across south London.

Andrew opening the doors of his church for our #LondonIsOpen film to be shown during Inter Faith Week.

Andrew and his parish church feature in our #LondonIsOpen film and he was certainly an open doors kind of person.

As well as his longstanding solidarity with people from different religious traditions, he was a good friend to many and a champion of children and young people.

He will be sorely missed.