What We Do

We are a Bristol based charity that connects people of different cultures, races and faiths, enabling them to build friendships, grow in their understanding of one another and live well with difference.

The Problem

Our society seems fractured and divided. Political views are polarised, hate crime is on the rise, government policies towards refugees and immigrants are hardening, and our asylum system is widely acknowledged to be broken. The latest census figures show Britain to be increasingly diverse, and yet diversity is seen by some to be a threat rather than something to be celebrated. In Bristol, where we are based, systemic inequalities exist along lines of race and class, reinforcing the perception that this is a segregated city.

The Solution

And yet there is hope. Ordinary people do amazing things in our communities every day that don’t make the headlines. People give up their time and resources to be good neighbours and make the places they live a little bit kinder.

Much of the mistrust and division that exists is caused by stereotypes and misperceptions rooted more in the distance between people (the fact that they don’t know one another or interact meaningfully) than in the differences between them. By simply connecting people of different cultures and faiths, we create the opportunity for them to understand one another better and recognise their shared humanity. By working together to make our communities kinder and more welcoming, we can build bridges and enable people of different backgrounds to live well with difference.