Last summer, when far-right riots spread across parts of the UK, another story unfolded too. Neighbours came together to clean streets, repaint damaged shops, protect places of worship and support one another. In some of the country's most difficult moments, ordinary people showed what community looks like in practice.
On this International Day of Peace, it is worth asking - what does peace looks like in Britain today?
It is not the absence of conflict. Communities and nations thrive when people feel they belong. Not only when individuals know their neighbours but also know they can count on them for support and care. Not only when communities have a geographical marking but whether they have the spaces, resources and safety that truly can bring people together and reflect everyone's individuality.
Those foundations cannot be taken for granted.
Across the UK, division is growing and many people feel disconnected, unheard or left behind. HOPE not hate polling found that 70% of people feel ignored by politicians. Yet the same research found that 60% describe their neighbourhood as peaceful and friendly. The lesson is clear: the appetite for connection already exists, but it needs to be supported and nurtured.
Behind the headlines another story is being written.
Everyday grassroots organisations, volunteers and community leaders are creating places where people can connect, build trust and find common ground. Their work may not always command national attention, but it is where belonging is built and division is challenged. They are proving that what unites us is far greater than what divides us. We all have a part to play in this. Whether that's joining a local group, volunteering our time, supporting a community event, checking in on a neighbour, or speaking up when others seek to divide us. Community cohesion is not something that happens to us. It is something we build together through everyday acts of connection, solidarity and participation.
Business has a responsibility to contribute.
For the past three years, Ben & Jerry's and Co-op have been working together to co-create a series of flavours rooted in social impact. Love Nut Hate is the third flavour in that journey, co-created with refugee entrepreneurs and inspired by communities that choose connection over division. The lesson reaches far beyond ice cream. It's about celebrating the people building belonging, amplifying local organisations, and showing what becomes possible when we invest and participate in community rather than fear.
But businesses and organizations cannot solve this on their own.
Government should treat community cohesion as essential national infrastructure. The government must provide long-term investment in the existing trusted community-centric organisations, provide clear responsibility and adequate resources for every council to strengthen local connections, and create a long-term national strategy shaped with the grassroots groups already doing this work.
Policy matters, but so does the story Britain tells about itself. We need a national conversation that values solidarity over division and recognises the people building stronger, more connected communities every day.
This International Day of Peace, we're asking our new Prime Minister to make community cohesion a national priority, businesses to invest in the communities they serve, and each of us to take one practical step towards greater connection where we live.
Division thrives when people feel isolated and alone. But when communities are connected, organised and supported, peace becomes something we build and share together.