One of the many joys of Anthropy (as if spending 3 days at the Eden Project under the auspices of work isn’t enough) is that as a member, Wilful gets to invite guests to come along, usually for their first time at Anthropy, and very often also their first time at the Eden Project.
The feedback we get from them reinforces what an unusual gathering it is. If your interest is in nature for example, it’s an incredibly efficient way to stay up-to-date on some of the most groundbreaking initiatives in the UK. The Wildlife Trust’s purchase of the Rothbury Estate in Northumberland is a case in point, or the work of the North Cotswolds farmer cluster on landscape level flood mitigation and rewilding – and hear the pros and cons debated honestly by cross sector leaders who often have different priorities. This honest, impassioned but respectful exchange of views is when you know that Anthropy is delivering on its mission to share ideas and foster new collaborations while leaving silos and egos at the door. Real progress doesn’t happen unless differences in perspective can be aired transparently.
At that particular event, in the humid rainforest biome, Tony Juniper (Chair, Natural England), was in the audience and he pitched in with his views on what was being discussed. This is also typical Anthropy – there is as often as much expertise in the audience as on the panel as becomes apparent once the questions start to flow.
There were fourteen nature-based events alone across the 3 days. If like me, you happen to work across sectors, the opportunity to access progressive thinking from leaders working at the intersection of say, climate and health is really special. My colleague Nikki Francis-Jones moderated a fascinating session called ‘The Public Health We Need’ which delved into the cross- cutting themes of access to nature, wellbeing, climate change, nutrition and individual agency for better societal outcomes. The panel included Prof. Hugh Montgomery, a medical professional who chairs the 52 country Lancet Countdown on health and climate change and Dr. William Bird, CEO of Intelligent Health, who pioneered the concept of social prescribing by setting up the first Health Walk and Green Gym. Truly world class representation.
But at times head gives way to heart when Anthropy throws something new your way. I have come back from Cornwall with a signed copy of William Sieghart’s Poetry Pharmacy – an anthology ‘for courage healing and hope’. It’s the ‘how to live well’ book I didn’t know I needed that I will be buying for others to pay forward the kindness of the person we invited who bought it for me.
William was a panellist on one of the opening events I was privileged to moderate that focused on ‘Our Quality of Life.’ His observations on the role of art and creativity in helping people connect with their emotional intelligence was one of those key takeaways that stays with you long after the event is over. It also connects deeply to our Wilful Anthropy theme for this year, thinking about the future as a stakeholder.
If art and creativity are to succeed in being the first responders in a national crisis of emotional disconnection, we need to think hard about how we create the conditions for them to thrive in our culture for the benefit of our young people.
Collectively, we need to stop passively doomscrolling and allowing ourselves to be distracted from what’s important by what’s right in front of us. We are teetering on the edge of an AI fuelled jobs crisis; we risk our youth feeling disenfranchised if they can’t find work. Creativity is both outlet and cure. In discussing how we unite the country and bring about its regeneration, Anthropy has fostered many conversations about hope and emotional prosperity. Let’s recognise that for Britain to thrive in the future, we need our young people to be passionate not passive. Art in all its forms fires up the spirit – from music, street art, games design, film, poetry, writing, photography, illustration, ceramics and fashion – the list is long and important and contributing to sector growth that is four times faster than the UK economy as a whole*
So on that rant, one of my Anthropy actions this year is to support youth access to the arts , inspired by William Sieghart and the Fernando & Luigi Foundation, a young organisation that is already making a difference in its support for young people to help them find their passions and have fun (joy is an undervalued salve in our bonkers, troubled world). And that’s a reluctant wrap for Anthropy ‘26 and its convening superpowers – this is an event you shouldn’t miss if you want to be part of our national regeneration. See you there next year I hope!
