Today is a Day of Lament.
Today we remember
every person who died over this last year because their home was damp and cold,
those who were ill because their home could not deal with extreme heat,
those who were forced to paint their walls black to hide the mould,
the young children now developing respiratory problems.
We keep a minute of silence as we remember.
Today we call for
warm, healthy homes for everyone,
less money to be wasted on energy inefficiency,
a thriving environment for us all to live in.
We call for these things with compassion and respect.
Today we commit to
speaking out about the everyday experiences of those living in the UK’s unfit homes,
standing in solidarity with those affected by the housing emergency that now touches so many of us,
demanding an approach to home improvement that considers us as humans and not as problems.
We make this commitment individually and collectively with determination and passion.
We remember.
We call.
We commit.
The Revd Ian Rutherford
Featured in Living for Jesus and Justice – Daily Prayers for Radical Christians (DLT, 2026)