During Challenge Poverty Week, we had the privilege, once again, of coming together as Commissioners for three remarkable days in Derbyshire, filled with laughter, courage and deep wisdom.
This year’s Gathering, was on the theme of ‘Stubborn Hope: Being Hopeful in Hard Times.’ We explored what it means to keep going when life is challenging — to notice where hope still lives, to share it, and to keep it alive together.
The Poverty Truth Network continues to grow and flourish. In the past twelve months, four new Commissions have launched, bringing the total across the UK to 37.
The Gathering, which was our biggest yet, welcomed representatives from 21 different Poverty Truth Commissions to The Haye’s Conference Centre in Alfreton, each bringing stories of courage, connection and stubborn hope from their own communities.
Hope is a doing word
Opening our time together, Martin, one of the Co-Director’s of the Poverty Truth Network (PTN), reflected on what stubborn hope really means in practice, saying:
“For me, a way of expressing the idea of stubborn hope is to talk about the word solidarity. We can live in a world where the temptation is that it’s all about us as individuals. But we are in solidarity with one another. We are a community of people. Hope is a doing word, it’s about what we do rather than just being a noun.
“When I think about our Poverty Truth Commissions and the work of the wider network, I think of us doing hope every day, making things different and better, through sheer-mindedness at times. We are stubborn. We are not going to give up on doing hope.”
That reflection became a thread throughout our conversations in the days that followed, a reminder that hope isn’t something we wait for, it’s something we do, together!
Reflecting on where we see hope
Commissioners spent time reflecting, and creating artwork, on where they see hope in their own lives and communities. In small groups, people spoke openly about what it means to hold on, to not give up, and to notice hope in everyday acts of compassion and courage, before sharing their creations with the room.
Jen Coleman, CEO of Black Country Foodbank, captured the spirit perfectly, saying:
“The theme was Stubborn Hope and we explored how that looked and felt, especially when things can feel hopeless. It’s the determination to keep believing in change, to keep building relationships, to keep listening, hearing and listening again. I was reminded that real transformation doesn’t start with policies or programmes – it starts with people. I left the conference encouraged that when we work together, share power, and lead with empathy, change happens.”
Commissioners came together from all across the UK bringing stories of courage, connection and stubborn hope.
Amplifying hope
Throughout the Gathering, we heard from our Amplify team – a space where Commissioners from local Poverty Truth Commissions work together, with the support of the network, on national themes that need wider change. Updates were shared from some of the theme groups, past and present, including:
- Private Rented Sector Housing – Brought together tenants, landlords and others to explore how we can make housing better and fairer for everyone involved. Off the back of this work, the group produced five important principles for making a house a home.
- The Brown Envelope Code – Set a new national standard for compassionate communication around bills, benefits and debts. The code has since been featured in a UK Government communications toolkit, and the group was even invited to present their work to the HM Treasury.
- Cost of Living – This is an active theme group and work is ongoing. The group is exploring the unfair 15% price gap between smaller and larger Tesco supermarkets in Swansea, Gateshead and Morecambe Bay, with a pilot project underway to promote fairer pricing.
- Neurodiversity, Diagnosis and Support – This is another active them group looking at how to better support people waiting for diagnoses, and how to prevent families from falling through the gaps in the systems (education, health and social care).
Some of the Amplify theme groups at the Gathering
Workshops and group work
In true Poverty Truth Network spirit, there was plenty of time dedicated over the three day event to group work, art work and even a bit of theatre thrown in!
On the second day, one of the main activities we took part in was to explore our recent partnership work with Carnegie UK, which over the past three years has brought representatives together from Swansea, Coatbridge and Manchester to reflect on what a society focused on wellbeing could look like.
Our focus turned to the Social Contract – the shared responsibilities between state, communities and individuals. We spent some time exploring where we have seen hope within these three areas and what a good version of each could truly look like. Discussions were full of energy; people spoke with pride about the NHS as a symbol of collective care, celebrated the innovation of local communities solving problems together, and reflected on how each of us, whatever our role, has a part to play in creating a fairer society.
As ever, there was also space for lots of laughter and plenty of silliness!
- On the evening of day one, we watched the film Pride, a story of solidarity and courage.
- On the evening of day two, a real highlight was the Hopemaster challenge, where teams took on challenges which ranged from the bizarre to the ridiculous.
On the final day, we took part in a Theatre of the Oppressed workshop on the theme of Personal Independence Payments (PIP), facilitated by Rachel Griffiths. Disability and Social Security (PIP) is currently being explored as the topic for one of our new Amplify theme groups.
Through sound, movement and improvisation, we explored the emotions and realities of the PIP process. We allowed ourselves to imagine a system rooted in dignity and compassion rather than one rooted in blame, worry and isolation.
Lots of cuppas were drank, laughter shared and friendships made!
Taking hope home
As our time together drew to a close, Commissioners reflected on what they would take back to their local Commissions.
Commissioners from Lincoln PTC shared: “I’m going to remember that hope is a decision, not a feeling — sometimes when there’s no other option. Hope keeps you going and can come from unexpected places.”
Commissioners from York PTC added: “We’re taking back renewed motivation. Everybody we’ve spoken to has given us renewed energy.”
Andrew, Co-Director of the Poverty Truth Network, brought our Gathering to a close with these words:
“Less than 48 hours ago we were asking, where do we already see hope in our lives? We made artwork to describe where our Commissions are already seeing hope. We explored what society might look like if hope were everywhere, as individuals, in our communities, and in the state. As we go back home, we carry that hope with us.
“As Saint Augustine of Hippo said: Hope has two beautiful daughters; their names are Anger and Courage. Anger at the way things are and Courage to see that they do not remain as they are.”
Finally, each of us shared one word that summed up the Gathering, some standout ones included:
Empathy, friendship, bravery, community, connection, fearlessness, excitement, possibilities and laughter.
These words, spoken from the heart, are what stubborn hope looks like.