Spaces of Hope helps make a complex and uncertain world, simple. We use a pioneering spatial framework, curation processes and co-designed principles that are predisposed to increasing connection from root to fruit, and building resilience to poly-crises. Spaces of Hope uses ideas of embracing difference, building relationships and evidencing impact, to deliver healthier and more hopeful practices in which ever context is most appropriate for you. Don't take our word for it though. We have included words from people Matthew has worked with so far, to help you decide if Spaces of Hope is for you. If it is, drop us a message and we can take it from there. Have a read and a watch first though.
Democratic Party Organiser based in Pittsburgh, USA (2023)
“You seem to have gathered a structure and a way of finding meaning and it reminds me of a friend who spent time in Guatemala with guerrilla insurgencies … don’t get them around the campfire and start reading the Communist Manifesto [he said], but do start speaking bitterness and what they have been through and the consciousness begins to raise … Also, there is the Women’s Movement in China, ‘Half of China’ they’re called. When the men in the village were treating their wives poorly, the movement would mobilise and visit the husbands and ask them to stop ‘otherwise half of China will be on the doorstep"
Archbishop Rowan Williams (2023)
"The church asks for freedom, not to defend its territory, but to discharge its task of “giving space” - creating “Spaces of Hope”
Member of the Antonio Gramsci Society (2023)
"What you appear to have made is the socio-psychological cure for combatting the fascist movement that the system is imposing on us. What you have done, putting freedom and hope at the centre of it is so important”
Director of the Muslim College, University of Cambridge, Professor Tim Winter (2023)
"The idea of a holy company, a commercial ‘space of hope’, rooted in traditional Islamic ideals of mercantile piety [might] perhaps represent a distinctively muslim contribution [to] the intermediate space in society … in the corporate neoliberal world, where identity is increasingly bound up with company affiliation, this may serve to add an additional dimension to the postsecular settlement as it continues to to shift and evolve"
Director of the Global Collaboration Institute, Julie Guegen FRSA (2022)
"Working with Matthew ... has been a real pleasure, and I am keen to continue our partnership to prepare the conditions for global collaboration. Matthew is at the same time a very diligent and knowledgeable facilitator, but he is also a kind and flexible character, committed to the best results. We share a common passion for creating caring and fruitful conversation spaces. I really recommend the spaces of hope approach to any community, it's such an effective way to develop a sense of proactive hope in turbulent times and put people in the right mindset for action"
CEO of Pure Innovations, Louise Parrott-Bates (2022)
Matthew worked in Stockport on the spaces of hope showing a new way of bringing people together - embracing diversity assets and sense of being human. He demonstrated integrity and intelligence in all he did encouraging safe spaces to empower others
Fellow Researcher on UK wide COVID-19 research for the All party Parliamentary Group for Faith and Society, Andy Turner (2021)
"Matthew is rare – one of a small number of academic researchers actively involved doing community work. You may know Matt in the UK as a start-upper, well known for his work setting up the excellent ‘Spaces of Hope’. He’s a developer of ideas. His doctorate is a one-off, blending sharp practice with a range of theory, creating clever and bold new approaches for faith-based organisations working across communities. If you’re a Faith-Based Organisation, a Local Authority or work in civil society then Matt is your go-to. Find out about his ideas and practice and get him on board. I’ve found Matt to be a clever and effective facilitator, at ease in eclectic groups, enabling people to discover ideas and find effective ways of working for themselves. Matt has worked in tricky contexts, supporting communities – different people, organisations with apparently opposing agendas – to work through complex, impossible challenges, and find ways of flourishing together. Ask him about his recent work during the pandemic, galvanising grassroot responses. An interested activist, and a reflective thinker – I was pleased to be part of Matt’s team, undertaking UK-wide research during the 2020 lockdown. His meticulous application of research method, astute thinking, and tidy approach even under pressure made a Matt essential for the team, stepping in and helping out when needed. I hope – and look forward to, more work with Matt again in the future – and soon!"
Director of Development and Strategic Advice Lead for Shared Lives Plus, Jayne Wilson (2021)
"It has been incredible to have Matthew as part of the team offering strategic advice/consultancy. As a consultant he was able to grasp the importance of our work and the tasks needed quickly and efficiently, whilst delivering high quality results. His approach to stakeholder engagement is exemplary and the resulting information provided was thorough and astute. Recently Matthew completed a report for one of our clients which required completing and extensive re-writes to meet the original proposal. Matthew was able to grasp what was need quickly and efficiently as well as interpret complex data to illustrate the business case.
His skills and expertise in research have also meant we gained some useful independent insights into how we can improve on our services"
Team Rector in Diocese of Liverpool (2021)
Matthew's calm and measured approach encouraged our PCC to have confidence in their vision, and bring it into reality … we now have a great heating system, a flourishing food pantry, several external rentals to help ensure the building pays for itself in future and isn’t a drain on parish giving. We opened a pre-school nursery too … The approach taken was to really listen to our context, of which nothing was known previously [by Matthew]… [His] approach was equally at home engaging children as it was meeting with council representatives [and] experience of net zero strategies and ecological solutions has been vital … particularly where parishes are anxious about the future or resistant to change"
A Manager of a Faith Based Social Enterprise in South Manchester (2018)
"Spaces of Hope has these deep roots in terms of kind of engaging intellectually, engaging philosophically but also wanting to put in simple ways of practicing the things that we care about. The majority of the [other] offers at the minute don’t have this open and transparent process"
Public Sector Manager in Stockport (2018)
I think that in the past I’ve worked for local authorities for a lot, a number of years and in the past, we’ve had a situation where the policy team has been the policy team…and [use] this kind of council speak … talking in the language of hope or hearts over the last relatively short amount of time there’s been a shift"
Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in England (2018)
"Spaces of Hope brings together innovative mixes of civil society actors—from professional community practitioners through to individual community activists—to ‘meaning-make’ as a response to experiences of pointlessness and emptiness in personal, community and professional life. In a public sphere which has struggled to talk about religion and belief, how might faith-based actors be held to account? Should public spaces attempt to preserve the idea of secular neutrality? Or does that stifle the fullest explanations of why certain actors act … In an increasingly religiously diverse landscape these questions have traction … Spaces of Hope appears to open [these] questions up and this in turn is opening up an innovative space in public policy making and practice … In the context of civil society futures this poses the question of how to talk and think about faith. Should the sector continue to behave as though England is simply secular and therefore faith is a private matter to be discussed only in ‘public reasons’? Or should it move beyond the binaries of secular-sacred and public-private to recognise a reality which is much messier, ordinary and lived?"
Former Rector of Stockport, now Bishop of Barking Rt Revd Lynne Cullens (2018)
"Matthew's work with Spaces of Hope in networking and in developing partnership links is worthwhile and impressive. Having experienced conferences and workshop sessions that he has facilitated, he is clearly gifted in recognising opportunities to forge creative links and bring together partner energies towards a common goal".
Bishop of Chester and Lord Spiritual Rt Revd Dr Peter Forster (2017)
"Having read the conference materials, I was left with the quote, 'I have come that they may have life, life in all its fullness’. If I were trying to name in a contemporary spirituality that people in our society strive for, it would be something like that; ‘life in all its fullness’. I think dialogue between people of different faith communities, people of no faith and people with an interest in human flourishing to gather together and to explore what human flourishing might mean in today’s world and our society must be a good thing”
William Temple Professor of Religion in Public Life, Chris Baker (2017)
"On an intellectual level, Matthew is outstanding in his ability to process complex ideas into events and toolkits that work on the ground. His work has therefore a freshness and resonance that marks it out as special and unique and goes a long way to explaining the very high levels of interest in the Spaces of Hope networks across multiple settings. It has a simplicity, but also intellectual credibility which is compelling"
Canon Jane Brooke, Former Vice Dean of Chester Cathedral and Education Consultant (2017)
"Matthew's management and efficiency [are] excellent. He planned the agenda, set up the workshop spaces, and invited and briefed the speakers with a natural ease, resilience and drive. The [gathering at the Cathedral] ran very smoothly and had very positive feedback from delegates. Matthew used a model he had created in Stockport and has been invited to create a similar [gathering] by Cheshire East Council"
Bishop of Derby and Former Bishop of Stockport Rt Revd Libby Lane (2017)
"Spaces of Hope brings together all our different parts and elements into a shared public space to be able to discuss openly and fully with one another, each from our own experience and belief base and world view and with our expertise, in order to discover how we best care for one another. So, I think the opportunities for Spaces of Hope are almost endless because they will be necessary and valuable in every community, potentially"
Public Heath Consultant and Health as a Social Movement Facilitator, Steve Goslyn FRSA (2016)
"Spaces of Hope represented a methodology to help faith based organisations stand side by side with people and communities, but also having the ability to step into and have a foot on both sides and to do most of the work in that space in between, in that liminal space? ... I wonder if it represents an idea whose time has come?"
“You seem to have gathered a structure and a way of finding meaning and it reminds me of a friend who spent time in Guatemala with guerrilla insurgencies … don’t get them around the campfire and start reading the Communist Manifesto [he said], but do start speaking bitterness and what they have been through and the consciousness begins to raise … Also, there is the Women’s Movement in China, ‘Half of China’ they’re called. When the men in the village were treating their wives poorly, the movement would mobilise and visit the husbands and ask them to stop ‘otherwise half of China will be on the doorstep"
Archbishop Rowan Williams (2023)
"The church asks for freedom, not to defend its territory, but to discharge its task of “giving space” - creating “Spaces of Hope”
Member of the Antonio Gramsci Society (2023)
"What you appear to have made is the socio-psychological cure for combatting the fascist movement that the system is imposing on us. What you have done, putting freedom and hope at the centre of it is so important”
Director of the Muslim College, University of Cambridge, Professor Tim Winter (2023)
"The idea of a holy company, a commercial ‘space of hope’, rooted in traditional Islamic ideals of mercantile piety [might] perhaps represent a distinctively muslim contribution [to] the intermediate space in society … in the corporate neoliberal world, where identity is increasingly bound up with company affiliation, this may serve to add an additional dimension to the postsecular settlement as it continues to to shift and evolve"
Director of the Global Collaboration Institute, Julie Guegen FRSA (2022)
"Working with Matthew ... has been a real pleasure, and I am keen to continue our partnership to prepare the conditions for global collaboration. Matthew is at the same time a very diligent and knowledgeable facilitator, but he is also a kind and flexible character, committed to the best results. We share a common passion for creating caring and fruitful conversation spaces. I really recommend the spaces of hope approach to any community, it's such an effective way to develop a sense of proactive hope in turbulent times and put people in the right mindset for action"
CEO of Pure Innovations, Louise Parrott-Bates (2022)
Matthew worked in Stockport on the spaces of hope showing a new way of bringing people together - embracing diversity assets and sense of being human. He demonstrated integrity and intelligence in all he did encouraging safe spaces to empower others
Fellow Researcher on UK wide COVID-19 research for the All party Parliamentary Group for Faith and Society, Andy Turner (2021)
"Matthew is rare – one of a small number of academic researchers actively involved doing community work. You may know Matt in the UK as a start-upper, well known for his work setting up the excellent ‘Spaces of Hope’. He’s a developer of ideas. His doctorate is a one-off, blending sharp practice with a range of theory, creating clever and bold new approaches for faith-based organisations working across communities. If you’re a Faith-Based Organisation, a Local Authority or work in civil society then Matt is your go-to. Find out about his ideas and practice and get him on board. I’ve found Matt to be a clever and effective facilitator, at ease in eclectic groups, enabling people to discover ideas and find effective ways of working for themselves. Matt has worked in tricky contexts, supporting communities – different people, organisations with apparently opposing agendas – to work through complex, impossible challenges, and find ways of flourishing together. Ask him about his recent work during the pandemic, galvanising grassroot responses. An interested activist, and a reflective thinker – I was pleased to be part of Matt’s team, undertaking UK-wide research during the 2020 lockdown. His meticulous application of research method, astute thinking, and tidy approach even under pressure made a Matt essential for the team, stepping in and helping out when needed. I hope – and look forward to, more work with Matt again in the future – and soon!"
Director of Development and Strategic Advice Lead for Shared Lives Plus, Jayne Wilson (2021)
"It has been incredible to have Matthew as part of the team offering strategic advice/consultancy. As a consultant he was able to grasp the importance of our work and the tasks needed quickly and efficiently, whilst delivering high quality results. His approach to stakeholder engagement is exemplary and the resulting information provided was thorough and astute. Recently Matthew completed a report for one of our clients which required completing and extensive re-writes to meet the original proposal. Matthew was able to grasp what was need quickly and efficiently as well as interpret complex data to illustrate the business case.
His skills and expertise in research have also meant we gained some useful independent insights into how we can improve on our services"
Team Rector in Diocese of Liverpool (2021)
Matthew's calm and measured approach encouraged our PCC to have confidence in their vision, and bring it into reality … we now have a great heating system, a flourishing food pantry, several external rentals to help ensure the building pays for itself in future and isn’t a drain on parish giving. We opened a pre-school nursery too … The approach taken was to really listen to our context, of which nothing was known previously [by Matthew]… [His] approach was equally at home engaging children as it was meeting with council representatives [and] experience of net zero strategies and ecological solutions has been vital … particularly where parishes are anxious about the future or resistant to change"
A Manager of a Faith Based Social Enterprise in South Manchester (2018)
"Spaces of Hope has these deep roots in terms of kind of engaging intellectually, engaging philosophically but also wanting to put in simple ways of practicing the things that we care about. The majority of the [other] offers at the minute don’t have this open and transparent process"
Public Sector Manager in Stockport (2018)
I think that in the past I’ve worked for local authorities for a lot, a number of years and in the past, we’ve had a situation where the policy team has been the policy team…and [use] this kind of council speak … talking in the language of hope or hearts over the last relatively short amount of time there’s been a shift"
Inquiry into the Future of Civil Society in England (2018)
"Spaces of Hope brings together innovative mixes of civil society actors—from professional community practitioners through to individual community activists—to ‘meaning-make’ as a response to experiences of pointlessness and emptiness in personal, community and professional life. In a public sphere which has struggled to talk about religion and belief, how might faith-based actors be held to account? Should public spaces attempt to preserve the idea of secular neutrality? Or does that stifle the fullest explanations of why certain actors act … In an increasingly religiously diverse landscape these questions have traction … Spaces of Hope appears to open [these] questions up and this in turn is opening up an innovative space in public policy making and practice … In the context of civil society futures this poses the question of how to talk and think about faith. Should the sector continue to behave as though England is simply secular and therefore faith is a private matter to be discussed only in ‘public reasons’? Or should it move beyond the binaries of secular-sacred and public-private to recognise a reality which is much messier, ordinary and lived?"
Former Rector of Stockport, now Bishop of Barking Rt Revd Lynne Cullens (2018)
"Matthew's work with Spaces of Hope in networking and in developing partnership links is worthwhile and impressive. Having experienced conferences and workshop sessions that he has facilitated, he is clearly gifted in recognising opportunities to forge creative links and bring together partner energies towards a common goal".
Bishop of Chester and Lord Spiritual Rt Revd Dr Peter Forster (2017)
"Having read the conference materials, I was left with the quote, 'I have come that they may have life, life in all its fullness’. If I were trying to name in a contemporary spirituality that people in our society strive for, it would be something like that; ‘life in all its fullness’. I think dialogue between people of different faith communities, people of no faith and people with an interest in human flourishing to gather together and to explore what human flourishing might mean in today’s world and our society must be a good thing”
William Temple Professor of Religion in Public Life, Chris Baker (2017)
"On an intellectual level, Matthew is outstanding in his ability to process complex ideas into events and toolkits that work on the ground. His work has therefore a freshness and resonance that marks it out as special and unique and goes a long way to explaining the very high levels of interest in the Spaces of Hope networks across multiple settings. It has a simplicity, but also intellectual credibility which is compelling"
Canon Jane Brooke, Former Vice Dean of Chester Cathedral and Education Consultant (2017)
"Matthew's management and efficiency [are] excellent. He planned the agenda, set up the workshop spaces, and invited and briefed the speakers with a natural ease, resilience and drive. The [gathering at the Cathedral] ran very smoothly and had very positive feedback from delegates. Matthew used a model he had created in Stockport and has been invited to create a similar [gathering] by Cheshire East Council"
Bishop of Derby and Former Bishop of Stockport Rt Revd Libby Lane (2017)
"Spaces of Hope brings together all our different parts and elements into a shared public space to be able to discuss openly and fully with one another, each from our own experience and belief base and world view and with our expertise, in order to discover how we best care for one another. So, I think the opportunities for Spaces of Hope are almost endless because they will be necessary and valuable in every community, potentially"
Public Heath Consultant and Health as a Social Movement Facilitator, Steve Goslyn FRSA (2016)
"Spaces of Hope represented a methodology to help faith based organisations stand side by side with people and communities, but also having the ability to step into and have a foot on both sides and to do most of the work in that space in between, in that liminal space? ... I wonder if it represents an idea whose time has come?"