In October 2020, I received a hand-delivered letter at 7:30pm from Hackney Council. It informed me that a COVID-19 testing centre would be constructed in our communal estate space — with only 12 hours’ notice. I felt powerless, unseen, and deeply unsettled.
Unsure of what to do, I called my vicar at the time, Revd Charis. I perceived that she held the power to act, and I thought my role was finished. But instead, she offered me a template to collect signatures. That was the beginning of my journey.
I adjusted the template and began door-knocking. With each knock, I heard voices echoing my own concerns. In the end, I collected nearly 150 signatures. Still, I didn’t see myself as a leader — I simply saw a need and responded.
When I turned to Revd Charis and Froi from Citizens UK for help, they reminded me: this is your story. They encouraged me to use my voice and share it with councillors. Froi guided me in building a core team, creating agendas, and chairing meetings for the first time.
Through this resistance, our team grew. More institutions joined us. Froi gave me tools, but more importantly, he gave me space to learn and act. Together, we organised — and we won. The council agreed to relocate the test centre.
I often describe this moment as being like a bird in a nest. Froi pushed me out before I felt ready, and I learned to fly quickly. That experience gave me the confidence to keep going.
What I learned is simple but profound: leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about relationships, trust, and action. My church trusted me. Froi trusted me. And through that trust, we built power and made change. They didn’t organise for me — they organised with me and alongside me.
“There is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” — Margaret Wheatley
Leaders are grown, not appointed. My power came from my ability to act, and through action for justice, I brought others with me. Citizens UK worked with us as a group, and without a team, we could not have succeeded.
Once I started my Wagstaff training and being part of CTC I learned churches are interested in leaders being called to find their sense of calling, which is a deep-rooted calling. My interpretation of Wagstaff training is about waiting and being patient, allowing leadership and fellowship to work together. Working at a pace where there is no rush to act. But to continue building and testing the relationships until the time is right to act together on the common good of the church and the community.
That means we live in tension:
- Patience — waiting for leaders to grow and discover their calling.
- Agitation — pushing them to act.
Too much patience, and nothing happens. Too much agitation, and people burn out. Trust is what holds the balance.
As James 2:17 reminds us: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”
Even when we don’t feel ready, leadership is revealed when we act. Froi gave me tools, but I had to implement them. He didn’t babysit me — he trusted me to step up. He insisted I chair meetings, create Zoom links, and draft agendas. That agitation forced me to grow.
Now, I confidently create agendas, take notes, and speak publicly — things I once said I would never do. That’s what happens when trust and agitation work together.
Leadership as Gardening
Looking back, I see how trust and agitation shaped me into a leader. It makes me wonder: who have I helped to grow in the same way? And who might I have missed — stepping in for them instead of letting them step up themselves?
Leadership is not about doing everything for others. It’s about creating space, offering tools, and trusting people to act. That reflection continues to guide my practice as an organiser.
I want to bring in my new passion for gardening — something I was never good at. Gardening has taught me that when we listen deeply to people’s needs, leaders emerge.
- Trust is the soil.
- Agitation is the sunlight.
- Campaigns are the fruit.
My story shows this clearly: my church cared deeply, I acted, Froi trusted — and leadership was born.
