Rising believes in hope over hate. 2025 has been a really difficult year for our community as hate rises along with external pressures from every angle. For the last 9 years Rising has been advocating for hope and rest as an act of resistance to the hate and systemic violence we witness and experience.

We know it can be tricky to stay hopeful and that’s why we were excited to collaborate on the Stories of Hope project commissioned by Bristol City Council in 2025. 6 of our Rising Community members were recruited as storytellers and went out in to Bristol to meet with workers who are doing the work. They met with community organisers, activists, volunteers, chefs, youth workers, the people that keep the world going round and whose on the ground work keeps us hopeful.

It’s important to continue to celebrate the community work that still happens in Bristol in spite of the overwhelming pressures that are impacting our communities. There are incredible things happening all around us and we’re so grateful to the community workers who so generously shared their stories with us. Please enjoy 9 stories of hope from across the city, we hope they reignite the hope in you.