A writer who has just been honoured by the King says more work is needed to unite "divided" Bristol. Coming to Bristol as an outsider looking in gave Dr Edson Burton MBE a unique insight into the city and the stereotypes and challenges in different communities.
Almost thirty years later, the same issues exist that Dr Burton first encountered back when he took on his PhD, when he was working at a community centre in St Pauls while becoming a dad. The Easton resident has seen improvements over the years but feels that there is still work to be done if “we are going to reach and fulfil the potential of the city”.
Dr Burton was awarded an MBE in the King's New Year Honours list for services to the arts and to the community in Bristol. He has worked across communities in Bristol, connecting strangers and widening perspectives. As a writer, programmer and advisor to Bristol’s cultural institutions, he has also been able to create stories that reflect modern British society in its full diversity and enable others to do the same.
