Remembering Violent Events of 2024
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Looking back and looking ahead
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Locally - space to talk
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Nationally - partnerships for resilience
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Ways we might help
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Respectful space
Looking Back and Looking Ahead -
Nearly a year ago, after the devastating murder of three children and wounding of two women in Southport, violence broke out in locations around the UK. A Rotherham hotel and its vicinity was one site of rioting a few days later - including arson with intent to endanger the life of resident asylum seekers.
Here, we make space to reflect on and share how these traumatic events resonate with and influence the work of Who is Your Neighbour?
WiYN? features along with other organisations in The State of Us, a report released last week about strengthening communal life in the UK. This report celebrates protective factors in communities, while acknowledging that today’s context can feel like a “tinderbox” (p4) - another attack this month on a hotel housing asylum seekers adds weight to that feeling. Our reflections are made in light of this report and pages quoted refer to it.
Space to Talk - Locally
We continue to build relationships in the part of Rotherham where there was a riot, and other South Yorkshire neighbourhoods connected to those events directly or indirectly.
Pre-existing relationships in the region meant we could respond early, at an event on August 13 2024, in which people began to process the impact of the riots in a facilitated group space. We remain involved at follow-up gatherings.
Our Development Workers respectfully keep in touch with people in places where there is “concern about … immigration and diversity”, pacing carefully, possessing the “confidence to engage” that we hope can counter the spread of divisive narratives (p8). These non-directive, exploratory conversations are always open to difficult views about race and immigration.
Today, in July 2025, feelings in neighbourhoods remain “raw”. We are moving towards understanding whether and when an invitation to structured, intra-community dialogues will be the right step.
Another priority is learning more about asylum hotels. We and others recognised, long before August 2024, that these and their neighbourhoods are vulnerable, in part because residents are “not consulted or briefed” before (p43) people are housed in hotels.
Partnerships for Resilience - Nationally
More, stronger relationships around the UK are crucial to making a lasting difference - we are one among many organisations supporting “communities that too often feel unheard” (p5) and there is learning to share.
The State of Us makes it clear resources are needed in the kinds of places where we work - places on the edges of cities and large towns, where residents have little chance to meet those from different backgrounds, or where there is high population churn( p9). Our partnerships are often with other organisations active in such places - many also affected by violence last summer.
We are grateful to be sharing learning with organisations in the North West, North East, South Wales, the South East and the Midlands - through conversations, training, consultancy and communities of practice.
Ways We Might Help
We might be able to support other people and organisations through our training, consultancy, conversations - or in other ways. Here are details of our next Barnsley training event, designed to help people discern the place and value of open conversations in their context.
Follow-on courses might equip you to deliver facilitated dialogues about race and immigration.
If you are reading this and are interested or think there is another way we could support you, please contact us.
Respectful Space
Anniversaries can be painful and attract attention. Sometimes, the increased attention adds to or aggravates the pain. People in Southport and around the UK are reeling from the tragedy and trauma of last summer.
As we hold some space for this, we recognise the ongoing responsibility we, as Who is Your Neighbour?, have to communities - the contribution we, with others, can make.
Nearly a year ago, after the devastating murder of three children and wounding of two women in Southport, violence broke out in locations around the UK.
A Rotherham hotel and its vicinity was one site of rioting a few days later - including arson with intent to endanger the life of resident asylum seekers.
Here, we make space to reflect on and share how these traumatic events resonate with and influence the work of Who is Your Neighbour?
WiYN? features along with other organisations in The State of Us, a report released last week about strengthening communal life in the UK. This report celebrates protective factors in communities, while acknowledging that today’s context can feel like a “tinderbox” (p4) - another attack this month on a hotel housing asylum seekers adds weight to that feeling.
Our reflections are made in light of this report and pages quoted refer to it.
We continue to build relationships in the part of Rotherham where there was a riot, and other South Yorkshire neighbourhoods connected to those events directly or indirectly.
Pre-existing relationships in the region meant we could respond early, at an event on August 13 2024, in which people began to process the impact of the riots in a facilitated group space. We remain involved at follow-up gatherings.
Our Development Workers respectfully keep in touch with people in places where there is “concern about … immigration and diversity”, pacing carefully, possessing the “confidence to engage” that we hope can counter the spread of divisive narratives (p8). These non-directive, exploratory conversations are always open to difficult views about race and immigration.
Today, in July 2025, feelings in neighbourhoods remain “raw”. We are moving towards understanding whether and when an invitation to structured, intra-community dialogues will be the right step.
Another priority is learning more about asylum hotels. We and others recognised, long before August 2024, that these and their neighbourhoods are vulnerable, in part because residents are “not consulted or briefed” before (p43) people are housed in hotels.
More, stronger relationships around the UK are crucial to making a lasting difference - we are one among many organisations supporting “communities that too often feel unheard” (p5) and there is learning to share.
The State of Us makes it clear resources are needed in the kinds of places where we work - places on the edges of cities and large towns, where residents have little chance to meet those from different backgrounds, or where there is high population churn( p9). Our partnerships are often with other organisations active in such places - many also affected by violence last summer.
We are grateful to be sharing learning with organisations in the North West, North East, South Wales, the South East and the Midlands - through conversations, training, consultancy and communities of practice.
We might be able to support other people and organisations through our training, consultancy, conversations or in other ways. Here are details of our next Barnsley training event - designed to help people discern the place and value of open conversations in their context.
Follow-on courses might equip you to deliver facilitated dialogues about race and immigration.
If you are reading this and are interested or think there is another way we could support you, please contact us.
Anniversaries can be painful and attract attention. Sometimes, the increased attention adds to or aggravates the pain. People in Southport and around the UK are reeling from the tragedy and trauma of last summer.
As we hold some space for this, we recognise the ongoing responsibility we, as Who is Your Neighbour?, have to communities - the contribution we, with others, can make.