As one is coordinated by Hope Together, on behalf of a wide partnership including community organisations, faith organisations, local authorities, businesses, schools and residents, united in the belief that community spirit and supportive community are vital. Both Covid 19 and more recent triggers for community spirit such as the Coronation showed how many people are community-minded, ready to be friendly, helpful and kind. What we now need to do is to encourage and facilitate the creation of vibrant, community, street-by-street, across the UK, not just for a crisis or for an occasional national celebration, but for the long-term as part of who we are.
The initiative is led by Sammy Jordan, director of Hope for Every Home, at Hope Together. Previously, it was led by Martin and Gina Graham, who from 2010 to 2023 pioneered Street Associations, and in 2021 founded As One as a national movement.
The key is to ‘capture’ something of the community spirit that clearly exists – to harness it and to help it to become a permanent feature of streets up and down the country.
Hope Together exists particularly to help the UK’s churches to be more outward-looking and to express their faith by serving their neighbourhoods in a variety of practical ways. Boosting community spirit, as part of a wide partnership, is one of them.
Our thanks to the many networks, local authorities and others who are helping pull this together.
Below is a video message Sir Lenny Henry kindly did in support of Permission to Smile; and, below that, a video message by Hugh Osgood, recently co-president of Churches Together in England, encouraging churches to embrace the As One vision.
