This summer as racial tensions escalated into widespread unrest, the fabric of our communities was tested like never before. The riots were both a symptom of surface-level grievances but also a manifestation of deeper systemic issues — racism, economic marginalisation, and fragmented social policies— that urgently need addressing.
This event aimed to foster meaningful dialogue and action on the pressing issues that these recent events have brought to light.
For FURD, the events of this summer hit close to home. Our communities, especially people of colour, asylum seekers and the Muslim community, were the targets of physical attacks, facing threats to their very presence in the UK.
The violence exposed deep divisions within our society, yet public discourse has mainly focused on quick measures rather than addressing the root causes of the unrest.
This conference provided a platform for regional and national discussions, aiming to review what has happened and explore practical, community-led solutions for restoring trust, unity, and understanding.
We heard from over 30 speakers from a range of local and national organisations including youth workers, academics and refugee support services. The event took the form of a series of panel discussions including:
‘What happened this summer? Unpacking the riots’
‘The view from our streets’
‘What our young people are thinking’
‘Policy perspectives: what needs to change?’
‘We saw it all’
‘Using sport as a tool for cohesion’
‘Restoring trust: how do communities rebuild trust?’
There were also many valuable contributions from the audience. Tears were shed as people bravely relived the trauma of the events of the summer, sharing how frightened they and their loved ones were to even leave their homes or visit public places. Much evidence was shared of an increase in abuse and harassment aimed at people of colour, and Muslims in particular.
The event was moderated by Piara Powar of the FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe) Network and Sheffield’s own Miriam Walker-Khan from Sky Sports.
The speakers represented organisations including Assist, GBM Boxing, Runnymede Trust, British Future, Belong, Sheffield Community Youth Services, City of Sanctuary UK, Tees Valley City of Sanctuary, Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Asylum Link Merseyside, Vibe, Universities of Sheffield and Nottingham, Leeds Beckett University, Girl Power, Rotherham United Community Trust, Yorkshire Sport Foundation, Refugee Council and the Abdullah Quilliam Society.
Our keynote speaker was the new MP for Sheffield Central – our MP - Abtisam Mohamed, who delivered a moving and personal speech. We were honoured to have two of her predecessors, Paul Blomfield and Richard Caborn, also in attendance. Leader of Sheffield City Council, Tom Hunt also spoke and gave us hope by talking about a proposed new community cohesion strategy with as much support as possible for voluntary and community organisations.
There were a few recurring points, including:
*There has been an increase in racism and Islamophobia since the summer, causing innocent people to fear for their safety, and feels worse than it has for 20 or 30 years.
*The media has to take some responsibility for stirring up violence and misunderstanding by inaccurate and twisted reporting.
*Youth and community groups especially those working in deprived communities can have a hugely positive influence on people’s lives and on community cohesion, but are in desperate need of funding. Many have closed down in the last few years. However, they can’t be expected to solve all society’s problems on their own.
*Sport, music and food all have huge potential for breaking down barriers between people from different background
*The asylum system is completely broken and in urgent need of reform.
A full report of the conference will be produced in due course.
The conference was an excellent networking event for many concerned organisations to make links with each other. We all need friends.