‘Better out than in’: why a South Yorkshire charity wants people to speak their mind

A group of about 15 military veterans gathered in a community centre run by Who Is Your Neighbour? to talk about race, immigration and anything else. Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

It was a filthy day in Rotherham as Storm Bram swept through the town earlier this month. Roads had turned into rivers and sodden St George’s flags flapped from lamp-posts at half mast.

Inside the community centre, the heating was turned up, the bacon butties were on order and the tea was brewing. It was time for some Difficult Conversations. Some of them, it turned out, about those soggy flags.