The Hopeful Activists' Podcast Rich Gower and Abigail Thomas

The first in our exciting new series in collaboration with Proximity, a new resource hub for urban Christians. In this episode we discover the joys and challenges of following Jesus on an urban estate. 
We'll hear from Allan Finnegan from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Netherton in Liverpool, Tom Grant, also from Emmanuel Baptist Church and Head of Proximity, as well as Tal Watkins and Marie Robinson from the Netherton Community Grocery.
And finally from Bishop Philip North, who tells us that there are two stories: amazing life and hope on urban estates, and also a church that has deep inequality within its structures.
Allan's GoFundMe for his treatment is here.
Clip from Britain's Got Talent used with permission.

Meet the Hopeful Activist team, including the authors of The Hopeful Activist book and find out why we are so proud of it!
Most of the team came to The Lodge Café in Bradford to hear the story of how a subsiding building became a thriving community space and find out how to be a hopeful activist. Abi also speaks to Thobekile Ncube from Harare in Zimbabwe, to hear about her contribution to the book and how her view on hope has changed.
Ezekiel 37 can be read here.
Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
With thanks to Beth, Rich, Eilidh, Rachel and Thobes.

Brian D. McLaren is a very well known author, speaker, activist and public theologian and joined Abi from his home in Florida.
Brian works with Father Richard Rohr at the Centre for Action and Contemplation and is proud to be an activist!
We talk about Brian's new book Life After Doom, covering:
how to welcome the reality of our climate crisishow to be contemplative and protect your mind and what's the problem with hope?
We also talk about the parable of the rich fool and the Lord's Prayer ..."may God's dreams for the earth come true."

Grace Hills has been digging up the grass verges, planting fruit trees and increasing the biodiversity on her street, with the help of her neighbours and their children. Abi met two of the children who are part of her Flower Fairies group, where Grace teaches them to enjoy and appreciate nature, and to do plenty of planting, despite living on a suburban housing estate!
If you’re a gardener this is a good episode to listen to whilst you’re doing some digging and planting, and if, like Abi, you appreciate nature, but don’t see yourself as a gardener, we know you’ll be inspired by the small steps that started Grace Hills on her guerrilla gardening journey. We also talk about being a neurodiverse Christian activist, a subject we'll return to soon!
You can find Grace on Instagram @sparkingcommunity
The book she mentioned is called Get Guerrilla Gardening by Ellen Miles.
You can find out more about guerrilla gardening here and there's a beginners guide here.

Rachel and Rich (authors of The Hopeful Activist) listen to Abi's interview with Dr Andy Knox, author of Sick Society.
Dr Andy Knox argues that our society is broken because we have built it on values that are not working for too many people. Sharing moving stories from the people he has met in his clinic as a GP, we see a system that is stacked against certain people in society and is profoundly unjust. Arguing against "hero leaders", and for hosting, listening and working together with love at the core, Andy challenges us to be outraged by the injustice in our society, and then do something about it.
To buy Sick Society visit Boz Publications.

Laura Young has been leading a campaign with groups supporting health and the environment and at the end of January their campaign to have disposable vapes banned in the UK was successful!
The campaign is just 16 months old, and has made a huge impact, with legislative change now around the corner and Abi was delighted to be able to talk to Laura so soon after this amazing result! 
Laura, also known as LessWasteLaura is an award winning climate activist, environmental scientist, and ethical influencer. for more ideas on waste reduction visit her linktr.ee
@lesswastelaura across social media