A new campaign aims to collect 50 cultural artefacts that define Englishness, seeking to move the conversation beyond divisive flag-waving debates. Supported by Green Party politician Caroline Lucas, musician Billy Bragg, and law professor Kojo Koram, the 'A Very English Chat' campaign encourages people to share five objects that represent their Englishness in 2026.
Artefacts can be objects, places, people, or anecdotes, including music, food, and nature. Contributions will be used to create items like decks of cards, posters, T-shirts, and tea towels for St George's Day on 23 April. The campaign is funded by donations and founded by Andy Green, who aims to 'take the heat' out of conversations around English identity.
Green said the country is 'tearing itself apart' and needs to avoid sleepwalking into divisions seen in America. He hopes to foster a richer, inclusive dialogue about what connects English people, from historically significant items to the seemingly incidental.
The initiative is backed by the Jo Cox Foundation's More in Common Network and Grow Social Capital. Lucas, author of 'Another England', chose the Beatles' album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band as her artefact, calling the project 'timely and important'. Bragg selected Marmite and George Orwell's 'The Lion and the Unicorn', while Koram highlighted England's layers of history and culture.
