Blog
Communities brought together… by chicken soup?
Laura Marks OBE, Founder and Chair of Mitzvah Day, writes for us about Mitzvah Day 2018, which took place last month and marked the 10th anniversary of the event. What could be more welcoming than a bowl of chicken soup? The traditional dish, served as […] Read more…
Mental health: what’s your story?
We all have mental health. Some have great mental health, while, periodically, others struggle with their mental health. And all of this is perfectly normal. What is identity? Identity is who we are. It can be made up of our features – the way we […] Read more…
What is faith’s response to loneliness?
You’ve probably heard the statistic. Social isolation is as bad for us as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It has more of an impact on life expectancy than obesity. And many of us can probably identify with the complaint that we spend too much time […] Read more…
Tackling isolation with English language learning
‘I’m not depressed any more. I have friends. I go out of my house. This class has made the difference: learning with fun and friends!’ – Learner Not only are socially isolated individuals more prone to depression, loneliness also increases the likelihood of mortality by 26%. […] Read more…
There isn’t a problem between faiths – people who think faith is a problem are the problem!
Sometimes being on the outside of a situation gives us a better perspective; there can be real wisdom in hearing alternative voices and gaining insight. But when an outside philosophy or world-view is imposed by one group on another without any semblance of adaptation or […] Read more…
Against All Odds – a Creative English success story
Recently I spoke to Keith Banda, the Mission Action Plan Coordinator for Ascension Church in Salford. Ascension Church is one of our members delivering our Creative English classes after purchasing a licence. It is part of the Church of England and has been delivering Creative […] Read more…
What does the budget mean for faith-based organisations?
The Chancellor Philip Hammond had to somehow make good this week on Theresa May’s announcement at the Conservative Party conference that austerity is coming to an end. The budget he has come up with – called ‘populist’ by some – is characterised by tax cuts […] Read more…
A creative solution to the rogue landlord crisis
Currently, the main media outlets have been highlighting the various issues surrounding rogue landlords from the private rented sector. Although most landlords are honest law-abiding citizens, some are not. Tenants have been suffering at the hands of unscrupulous landlords who demand monthly payments, but do […] Read more…
A connected society: the Government’s new strategy to tackle loneliness
Monday, the 16th of October; the day the Government announced A connected society – A strategy for tackling loneliness. A day that we hope will help to change the health and well-being of millions of adults and young people living in the UK. Prime Minister […] Read more…
Say it while you can! Kindness is a good response to poor mental health
This summer, I was faced with the tragic news that a friend had died, suddenly and unexpectedly. It would be fair to say the cause of death was a combination of depression, isolation, and a crushing of dreams. My grief was such that, in the […] Read more…
