Like many, we were shocked and saddened by the senseless killings of three innocent children in Southport. We have been appalled by the racist rioting, looting, and other organised attacks taking place across the country since. There is no place for violence or hate speech. We stand alongside everyone who is feeling fearful for their safety in this current climate.
Cumberland Lodge was founded in the aftermath of the Second World War, to try to understand the causes and impacts of social division. Our founders saw how people turned to populism when they felt disengaged from society. We see parallels in what’s happening here in the UK over 75 years later.
We know that we can’t change what we don’t understand. Our work on Youth & Democracy is designed to re-engage the leaders and change-makers of the future, and encourage them to critically reflect on mis/dis-information. We know it’s not our differences that divide us, but an inability to recognise, discuss, debate, and respect those differences. There is no room for racism, or any other form of hatred, in our society. We won’t always agree – but we can disagree better.
Canon Dr Ed Newell
Chief Executive