The Hopeful Activists' Podcast

What does it mean to follow Jesus today? Abi Thomas dives into the lives of four incredible guests who are living as apprentices to Jesus for this special episode with the amazing team at Proximity . Expect inspiring stories, practical insights, and some surprising moments as we explore: ✨  Learning and doing on-the-job discipleship ✨  Whole-life discipleship: Bringing Jesus into every...

Abi is joined by researcher-activist Naomi Lawson Jacobs , co-author of the book At the Gates: Disability, Justice and the Churches . Naomi's research tells the stories of disabled people; the stories behind the shocking statistics. Naomi tells Abi about activism led by disabled people, the challenges that disabled Christians face, who and what we should be valuing and the problem with the idea of...

Today, we’re bringing you a powerful story from Hannah Bourazza , who courageously shares her journey after the tragic loss of her son, Nathaniel, who was killed shortly after his 16th birthday. Hannah reflects on Nathanial’s life and legacy, and her work with Power the Fight , a London-based charity dedicated to ending youth violence.  Resources: Power the Fight : Learn more about their miss...

Welcome to another uplifting episode of the Hopeful Activists Podcast! This week Abi is delighted to be joined by Rev Dr Kate Coleman , author, leadership coach, and founder of  Next Leadership . Kate shares insights from her transformative book,  Metamorph , which explores how leaders can embrace growth. Kate’s wisdom is not just for leaders but for anyone to make a difference...

An extended interview with Ellie Gage on this episode, CEO of Kintsugi Hope , a UK charity working to make a difference to peoples mental wellbeing. Ellie shares brilliantly about culture and how to be a healthy Christian, lessons learnt from her time at CAP in Bradford, and in her new role at Kintsugi Hope. Buy The Hopeful Activist book as an ebook here or in paperback here .

In this second episode of our brilliant collaboration with Proximity , Abi Thomas explores how to keep going for the long-haul when you are living and working for justice in urban estates and beyond. Wherever it is you’re trying to make a difference, you'll find practical wisdom for keeping your activism centred on Jesus and preventing burnout and we'll hear from four incredible guests who share t...

Ahead of an online event on the 9th August Abi speaks to Rev Dr Israel Oluwole Olofinjana about racial justice in the UK. We also discuss the intersection with climate justice, mental health and how the UK church can respond and recover.

Abi has been out and about again, visiting the wonderful people at Leeds Craftivists to hear about their collaborative and crafty campaigns. Including campaigns around food waste, the cost of living crisis and local transport. If you want to know more about the principles behind craftivism, we have two episodes here and here with Sarah Corbett, author and founder of the Craftivist Collective . Or...

A super short episode to draw our attention to the new resource from Jubilee+ called Voting Like Jesus. Natalie Williams calls on Christians to engage with politics, to pray and to look honestly at our own hearts, as we face a general election.

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 Ro...

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 boo...

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 crisis how to be contemplative and protect your mind and wha...

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...

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 profoundl...

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, als...

Thanks so much to Sarah Edwards and Rosie Venner from the Just Money Movement for answering some tricky questions in today’s episode. If you’ve ever asked questions of capitalism, if you’ve thought about whether direct action or becoming a shareholder is the best way to make change in our financial systems, or if you feel like you don’t have enough money to make a difference anyway, you’ll find so...

A great interview with the Rev Dr Ash Barker today! For over 30 years Ash has lived on the front line of urban poverty with his family, and Ash is the founder of Seedbeds , which is all about growing the capacities of urban leaders where they live. I went down to Birmingham to meet Ash at his community church building and there are so many riches to mine from him and we’ll also hear more from Jame...

A special episode about faith and mental health. Please be aware that this episode includes reference to sexual assault, suicide and self-harm.  Today we hear from three brilliant contributors.  Aaron Shah from Worship on the Streets shares his personal mental health journey.  His book is called Being Still, A Quiet Revolution and you can get a copy here , or by signing up at his Pa...

Pete Portal was born in the UK but has lived in Cape Town, South Africa for the last 15 years. We all have feelings of failure and disappointment, in this conversation we learn to reframe our view of success within Jesus' framework. Pete shares about the continuing impact of Apartheid on his community and how the Tree of Life Community are seeking to be a sign that another reality is possible. Thi...

Abi and Rich get together to discuss deep interviews with artist Barbara Keal and liturgist and author Cole Arthur Riley . They delve into embodied and contemplative activism and creative responses to injustice and trauma. We hear all about the Coat of Hopes - there is a 10 minute video here telling you more about the project. Cole Arthur Riley also shares about her book This Here Flesh and her di...

What if 9 sayings from Jesus could change the way we see and act in the world? The Nine Beats Collective have been creating music based on The Beatitudes and Abi went to meet some of the musicians ahead of an evening of their music in Leeds. Abi spoke to Rob Tayler, Heatherlyn and also Steve Bassett doing a visit to the wonderful Meanwood Valley Urban Farm We also hear from Katie Dowds, ...

Huge congratulations to Ben Lindsay , founder and CEO of Power the Fight and all the staff for their award of charity of the year at the Charity Times Awards 2023 . And Ben also won Social Media Leader of the Year! We thought a great way to celebrate their win would be to remind you of this inspiring interview with Ben from 2021. Power the Fight is an incredible charity tackling violence affecting...

We are revisiting an archive episode this week, whilst Abi puts together some exciting new episodes over the next few weeks! In this episode Abi and Sarah Small, from Proximity Network and the Message Trust dive into the controversial area of where evangelism and social action meet. With contributions from Krish Kandiah , Deirdre Brower Latz from Nazarene Theological College , Simon Guillebaud fro...

John White from Hazelnut Farm in Bristol tells Abi about his own climate conversion, and his church which is connecting people with both creation and our creator. He also has some great challenges around Net Zero and growing vegetables. Plus the Golden Turnip challenge ! Book recommendation: What I Stand for is What I Stand On by Wendell Berry . Twitter:  @hazelnutfarmcom Facebook: Hazelnut C...

Vanessa Nakate is a renowned Ugandan climate activist, Abi talks to her about her faith , feminism, her brilliant book, A Bigger Picture and the importance of listening to activists from countries in Africa. Of course this makes the infamous incident where Vanessa was cropped from a photograph of activists at Davos all the more painful. Hear more about the Vash Green Schools project installations...