COVID-19
One year on: a better Britain? A more polite society?
As the mob of school children bustled towards me down a cramped alleyway near where we live, my wife held me back to observe social distancing. It was good to see the normality of young people, in that classic teenage way, seemingly unaware of any […]
COVID-19 and the UK’s digital divide
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began almost a year ago, it has brought into sharp focus how inequality shapes our lived experience, with many facing unique hurdles and excessive difficulties throughout the public health crisis. From the disproportionate suffering of BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) […]
“11 years of lockdown”
I was due to film a short video at a studio space adjacent to a local Men’s Shed. Max met me at the door. After a COVID-secure greeting, he enthusiastically showed me into his workshop and through to the room I would be using. We […]
Getting the vaccine in perspective: The “Big Four” challenges
I often have colleagues say to me that, six months ago, everyone was asking why the COVID-19 vaccine was taking so long. Yet here we are, with nearly fifteen million people given their first dose, and now people are asking, “Why it was developed so […]
A year of COVID campaigns – which ones made you think?
We’ve all got used to seeing them. Over the last year, campaigns encouraging us to think about COVID-19 and how we can keep ourselves and others safe have been everywhere. From TV adverts to lampposts (whenever we’ve managed to venture outside), these messages are a […]
Faith in the Future: Is faith the glue for 21st century society?
Over the past few months, I have found myself considering the knotty issues of integration, citizenship and cohesion. The whole of life being in lockdown acts as a pressure cooker for the issues already in society. Tensions have been bubbling up between communities — social […]
Faith in the Future: Join the Conversation
There is momentum growing around the role that faith communities can play in British society. As revealed by reports such as the recent Keeping the Faith report from the APPG on Faith and Society, local authorities are eager to work more closely with faith communities […]
Looking Ahead
Over the past six months, we have held well over 100 public events. It has been great to meet so many of you and to hear about your organisations, places of worship, and areas of work. People of faith are certainly at the forefront of […]
Building Back Better: FaithAction’s Conference
On 26th November, FaithAction hosted an inspiring three-part conference, Building Back Better. It examined the themes of faith and social cohesion, the role of faith during the current crisis and looked forward to the role of faith in the future. In the first session, Madeleine […]
What we need is a roadmap, not a promise
I’m sure that you—like me—are attracted to simple and dramatic headlines. Of course, the fact that we pick up a newspaper or click on a link because of these headlines makes us part of the reason journalists write in such a dramatic fashion. However, life […]