Hearing From Together Liverpool’s Social Cohesion Project
My name is Merab Gill and I lead Countering Hate, Cultivating Hope which is Together Liverpool’s new three-year national pilot project funded by the Church of England’s Racial Justice Unit. The Countering Hate, Cultivating Hope team consists of me as project lead and Natalie Rodil the Together Liverpool project co-ordinator.
The project responds to the growth of divisive narratives and social fragmentation, particularly in communities where people may feel disconnected or left behind.
It seeks to strengthen the Church’s role as a credible and hopeful presence in public life, rooted in listening well, building trust, and supporting stronger connections across difference.
Countering Hate, Cultivating Hope will deliver two connected strands:
- Speaking Out – equipping clergy and lay leaders with training, resources and theological reflection to challenge divisive narratives, strengthen interfaith and civic relationships, and support confident public voice.
- Working with communities – working in high-deprivation contexts to listen well, respond to practical need, and co-design pathways into inclusion, opportunity and wellbeing.
This project will run across the Dioceses of Liverpool and Chelmsford, from April 2026 until March 2029, with learning used to develop a model that can be shared more widely across the Church of England.
My name is Danielle Azanuwha, and I am the Diocesan Social Cohesion project coordinator for the ‘Countering Hate – Cultivating Hope’ project. I am excited to join the diocese of Liverpool as Together Liverpool’s delivery partner for such an important and much needed piece of work. We are living in times where sadly division and hate is thriving and spreading, and this is the time for us as a collective body to counter the hate and division and spread Love and Unity.
The project will be delivered across a 3-year period and will focus within specific deaneries. We want to journey with parishes and empower and equip clergy and communities to ‘Speak out’ and challenge hate. We also want to work with clergy and congregation members to connect within their wider communities to build on cohesion.
What will that look like?
- Active community engagement, working together to listen to the community to champion a campaign together.
- A commitment to working alongside other faith groups and leaders, local schools and community partners.
I would love to come and meet with any clergy members and church leaders who are keen to explore the project further and have a passion and a call to support their community to bring about lasting change.
You can contact Merab at Merab.Gill@togetherliverpool.org.uk
You can contact Danielle at Danielle.Azanuwha@liverpool.anglican.org
