The next CWR/Lives of Colour Book Club is going to be held in person on Tuesday 2 August 2022, 6:30pm at The Railway Pub, New Street, Cheltenham, GL50 3QL. Do come down and join us there whether you’re a long standing book club member or a just interested in finding out more.

We’re a friendly group and whether you manage to read the book or not, our discussions are always interesting, open-minded and a good space for learning and engaging with issues that affect us all, refugee or not.

This month’s book is the searingly honest and bravely written memoir, Hope Not Fear, by Hassan Akkad.

Hassan is a photographer and filmmaker who won a BAFTA for his film ‘Exodus’ about his journey to the UK. You can watch a short clip from the film here.

Driven by an unshakeable instinct to raise awareness, help and connect, Hassan describes his life in Syria before the war and then his journey to the UK. Since seeking asylum in the UK, it is his caring instinct and determination that has seen Hassan share not only his unique eye-witness experience as a refugee, but also to document his work as a cleaner at a London hospital Covid-19 ward which instigated a government U-turn on excluding the families of NHS cleaners and porters from its bereavement compensation scheme.

Hope Not Fear is an extraordinary memoir that can’t help but be a call to action and to hope.