Big worries and small acts of kindness

Our message on the EU referendum to Shared Lives Plus members and anyone else changing the world one small step at a time:

The changes which are happening around us can feel huge and abstract, but the anxiety they can cause can be very real. The saddest thing I’ve heard this morning, is parents who are immigrants to this country, going to their child’s head teacher, to ask if their son or daughter is still allowed to attend their local school now. The most inspiring was this message from the CEO of South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust: “To all my staff from the EU – you are as much a part of our team today as you were yesterday, valued & cherished in the NHS.”

We didn’t comment on the EU referendum and I’m sure our members’ views on it were just as divided as the country’s. One of the most disappointing aspects of the various kinds of political debates happening in recent months is that finger pointing and disagreement felt as if it was fast becoming anger and worse. In fact, we all voted knowing that little was certain either way, and doing what we hoped was best.

Perhaps we can do little to influence the huge political changes which are set in train both in this country and in Europe, which are too often driven by forces and ambitions which have little to do with our day to day lives. But life goes on and it is at the human level of day to day living which we can and do make a difference.

So we will do what we always do: walk alongside our members to support them and cheer them on as they share their homes and lives, carrying out the small, life-changing acts of kindness and togetherness which make this such an amazing movement and which help to build communities and a country in which we all belong.

In the coming months, we will be particularly keen to hear from members who face worries or challenges arising from any of the changes yet to happen and we will do everything we can to support you and help you to have your voices heard. In the meantime, thank you to everyone involved in Shared Lives and Homeshare for all that you do to make the UK a friendlier, happier and more inclusive place to live

The Shared Lives Plus team.