Post by Prof Brian Dolan OBE

One of the best things about NHS ConfedExpo in Manchester on Wed evening and yesterday (Thurs) was running into people you haven't seen for an age! Amidst these tumultuous times perhaps it's counterintuitive that the conversation I had with so many of the people I so deeply admire was about hope. Hope is not the expectation that things will work out but that are worth working for; be it the NHS, social justice, and even democracy itself. I think of hope as a fierce faith, even when willingly acknowledging the great challenges around us. As US Senator Cory Brooker put it 'Hope is the belief that despair will never have the last word'. It's why my favourite book of this year is by author and activist Rebecca Solnit - who also popularised the term 'mainsplaining'. 'The beginning comes after the end: Notes on a world of change' draws on the longer lens of the last 50+ years and reminds us that, objectively, things have improved in gender and sexuality rights, racial rights, environmentalism and much else besides. Despite what it feels like in these moments, the pushback against white supremacism, patriarchy, environmental degradation, late stage capitalism and much else is real. Quoting Italian philosopher, Antonio Gramschi, she argues us that 'An old world is dying; a new world is being born; now is the time of monsters'. It is a book to give hope in difficult times ands reminds us to that the power to change the world really is within our reach. So thank you Eamonn Sullivan MBE Karen Bonner MBE Nina Khazaezadeh Caroline Clarke Oliver Soriano Prof Paul Jebb RN OStJ MA BSc Michelle Dixon Professor Lisa Hollins Karen Heggs Andy Phillips Professor Hilary Garratt CBE Geraldine Rodgers OBE Tara Iles David Hambleton Toby Rowland CBE Foluke Ajayi Dr Paula Bennett Dame Ruth May and anyone else I was lucky enough to meet. You are technicolour in a world of grey, compassion in a world of contrariness, and hope in the hours before dawn 💙 Big HT too to those I wasn't fortunate enough to speak to - Michelle Smith Chart.PR FRSA Oksana Lovochkina Amy Lochtie Duncan Burton Acosia Nyanin Lord Victor Adebowale CBE. I am awe of all of you 🙏 https://lnkd.in/erNSTa3S