Lancashire Against Hate Event Marks Beginning of a New Collective Movement

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On Wednesday 22 July, Inclusive North hosted the inaugural Lancashire Against Hate event, bringing together leaders and representatives from the voluntary, community, faith, public and private sectors from across Lancashire and beyond to address the growing challenges of racism, hate and community cohesion.

The event opened with welcomes from Inclusive North's Chief Executive Officer, Naz Zaman, Chair of Trustees Adam Sidat, and the High Sheriff of Lancashire, David Collinge, who each highlighted the importance of partnership, courageous leadership and collective responsibility in building safer, stronger and more inclusive communities.

Attendees heard powerful contributions from Adnan Hussain MP, Kunle Olulode (Voice4Change England), Sarah Ebanja (Ubele Initiative) and Furqan Naeem (British Muslim Trust). Drawing on their expertise and lived experience, speakers explored the impact of rising hate, the importance of community leadership, and the need for coordinated action to tackle hate and strengthen social cohesion.

A significant milestone during the event was the launch of Inclusive North's Race Equality Strategy 2026–2029, presented by Joseph Marcio. The strategy sets out Inclusive North's commitment to advancing racial equity through community leadership, stronger partnerships and evidence-led systems change, ensuring that people with lived experience remain at the heart of shaping solutions. The strategy is now available to download from the Inclusive North website.

The afternoon workshops, facilitated by Peter Lumsden and John Wainright, provided participants with the opportunity to explore practical responses to hate incidents, rising community tensions and opportunities to develop a coordinated Lancashire Against Hate partnership. The discussions generated a range of practical recommendations and reinforced a shared commitment to working together across sectors to create meaningful and lasting change.

Reflecting on the event, Naz Zaman, Chief Executive of Inclusive North, said:

"The overwhelming message from the day was clear: no single organisation can tackle hate alone. Building a safer and more inclusive Lancashire requires all of us to work together, listen to one another and take collective action. This event is only the beginning of that journey."

Inclusive North would like to thank everyone that attended for contributing their time, insight and commitment. The energy and openness throughout the day demonstrated a shared determination to move beyond conversation towards practical action.

The Lancashire Against Hate event marks the first in a series of assemblies that will continue to bring partners together, strengthen relationships, share learning and develop collaborative solutions to reduce hate and promote racial equity across Lancashire.

Together, we are building a Lancashire where everyone feels safe, respected and valued.

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