Kettering’s best festival of activism, artistry and faith celebrated another glorious year, bringing hope to the hopeless and continuing to defiantly wave the Palestinian flag and stand up for justice in the UK and around the world. Greenbelt was at Boughton House, Kettering on 21–24 August 2025.
It’s difficult to feel optimistic in 2025. Genocide in Gaza, war in Ukraine, the UK Supreme Court ruling on the definition of a woman, US tariffs and instability, economic uncertainty and the continued rise of the far right across the globe. We are hardly living in the golden age of peace and prosperity, but despite all this, there is one nugget of hope that defiantly shines from a field outside Kettering: Greenbelt Festival.
Hope for Palestine
‘Hope in the Making’ was this year’s theme, with artists, speakers and workshops curated to foster hope, in spite of the challenges facing the world. And nowhere is in more desperate need of hope than the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, for whom Greenbelt has shown its solidarity time and time again.
“There’s a lot going on which is very frightening. And Greenbelt never tries to hide the truth. So you’ve got to confront it. But you confront it amongst a lot of fellow-minded people.” Peter, 87
The Gaza Lighthouse, a scale replica of the one in Gaza that has subsequently been destroyed, shed its light across Greenbelt throughout the festival, representing their unwavering support for Palestine and paying tribute to the lives of the people who are plastered at its base as horrifying statistics.
Palestinian voices were central to the programming too. The Gaza Poet Society shared harrowing poetry in English and Arabic, of their experience and suffering endured at the hands of Israel. Daoud Nassar was also in digital attendance via the No-Fly Zone, Greenbelt’s dedicated livestream venue in partnership with Christian Aid, connecting the world without costing the earth. He is the manager of the Tent of Nations near Bethlehem and was sharing his experience of living in the West Bank and the daily fight for the right to his land.
“Greenbelt is a place where hopeful people come together.” Oliver, 31
There were also plenty of stands or different companies supporting Palestine: ABCD, Doctors without Borders and more.
Leaders on the Left
Political hope was provided through two leading figures on the left of politics: Carla Denyer MP and Jeremy Corbyn MP. The former co-leader of the Green Party spoke about her journey into politics, the success of her party at the last election and the urgent need to make bold societal reforms and improve public services.
“At Greenbelt I feel like everything’s kind of going to be okay.” Sarah, 34
Similarly, Corbyn spoke about deep injustices, how growth isn’t brought about by cuts to public services; all while promoting his new political party provisionally named YourParty.uk, which he established with Zarah Sultana MP after she resigned from the Labour Party. Corbyn was also outspoken on his views on the situation in Gaza, describing it as “dire, horrible and ghastly”.
Breaking bread and breaking assumptions
“I’m not personally faith based, but I feel very welcome. Anytime I tell someone I’m not part of any faith they are very accepting and open.” Caitlin, 23
As an atheist, I rarely attend Greenbelt’s communion service, however I was mightily impressed by the diverse line-up they had this year. The service was led by a cohort of people, including deaf artists, Reverend Sally Azar, the first Palestinian woman to be ordained in the Holy Land, plus the 83-year-old Reverend Sue Parfitt, one of the first female vicars to be ordained by the Church of England.
Though don’t be fooled, Sue is not a meek old lady. She has been arrested 30 times for protesting for social and climate justice, and most recently for her support of Palestine Action in the wake of its proscription as a terrorist organisation. They were joined on stage by Bridgerton actor Adjoa Andoh, who is a Christian, and has worked as a lay preacher since 2009.
Actors for change
Andoh had an exclusive slot during the festival, sharing her path into acting, the huge impact that Bridgerton has had across the globe and the importance of broader opportunities for actors of colour, insisting the door that was opened to her should be opened even wider for future generations.
“Greenbelt is a place where everybody can feel welcome, at ease, and just be themselves.” Jan, 75
Liz Carr, best known for her role on Silent Witness, was also in attendance speaking against the assisted dying bill due in the House of Lords later this year. Carr believes there should be better investment in current palliative care and is concerned about bringing the medical profession into such a personal decision. She firmly believes the legislation is damaging to society’s perception of disabled people and negatively reinforces unhealthy stereotypes on disability. She highlighted the importance of allyship and the knowledge that anyone can become disabled, especially as we age and our health needs become more complex.
Hope for the future
Greenbelters left the festival this year having laughed at Plastic Jeezus, a musical comedy duo, cried for Palestine and learned the importance of finding common ground with those with whom we disagree through the Hope and Anchor. I hope when we return to Kettering for Greenbelt 2026 we live in a more peaceful world than today. At the risk of sounding extremely hippyish, I hope we can live in a world that is obsessed with peace and love, rather than war and hate.
Greenbelt might only be a festival but imagine if the seeds sown over the weekend took root within our society. Imagine talking to the stranger next to you on the bus and finding out that you have loads in common, like you do at Greenbelt. Imagine taking the time to give help to a stranger struggling with their bags, like you do at Greenbelt. Imagine focusing on the things you have in common with refugees and those from different backgrounds, like you do at Greenbelt. Curiosity, generosity and compassion – these are the values that Greenbelt is brimming with, but which are severely lacking in the wider world. What if we used Greenbelt as a blueprint for the future? Just imagine the new society we might live in tomorrow.
“Worth coming back to since 1980.” Judy, 71
Greenbelt 2026 is now booking for 27–30 August 2026.
