We are pleased to announce the launch of our first photo competition: The Spirit Level: images of [in]equality.

We are looking not only for photos that depict inequality but also for positive representations of what a more equal society might look like; photos that can grab attention, inspire and galvanise us to action; photos that can conceptualise equality & inequality in fresh and interesting ways.

A selection of the best photographs will be displayed on our website and included in an images of [in]equality photo book - and competition winners will receive a free copy. We also hope to hold an exhibition later in 2011.

The competition is open to everyone, experienced photographers and novices alike, and we especially welcome entries from our supporters and campaigners. The closing date is 15^th April... good luck! For more info & details of how to enter please click here.

STOP PRESS: if you would like to design a logo for the competition, please get in touch with craig.griffiths@equalitytrust.org.uk 

Join the online debate

Newspapers often publish articles online with a space for readers to comment. A great way of helping to raise awareness is to set up a Google Alert for The Spirit Level or income inequality, so that when articles pop up you can go to the newspaper website and leave a comment.

For help setting this up, please email kathryn.busby@equalitytrust.org.uk

Welcome Duncan, Hetan and Anna

We are very pleased to welcome Duncan Exley, Hetan Shah and Anna Barford to the campaign to reduce income inequality.

Duncan took over as campaign director of One Society in December, Hetan, chief executive of Think Global joins The Equality Trust's governing body as a non-executive co-director, and Anna is working with us for three months on further research into the impact of inequality on different sections of society.

Would you like to live in a Gated Non-Community...?

The rise of gated communities corresponded directly with the rise of inequality in both America and the UK. Unsurprising, given the evidence that in more unequal societies people are far less likely to think other people can be trusted.

This was the starting point for Gated Non-Community, the new and very funny short film from babycakes romero, creator of the fabulous Spirit Level puppets (20,500 YouTube hits and counting...)

Watch this and our other short films 

New resources for local groups

In order to spread the message of The Spirit Level and campaign to halve income inequality, we need a strong network of local groups across the country, campaigning on local issues and winning new egalitarians to the cause.

To this end we have produced a 20 page groups guide, full of suggestions and advice on topics such as holding a first meeting, networking with local organisations, dealing with the media and avoiding hierarchies in your group. It also presents case studies of what local groups have been doing up to now & links for further reading.

Find the guide online now

Supporter survey - thank you

We were delighted with the response to our recent supporter survey and we'd like to thank all of the 825 people who took the time to give us their feedback.

A summary of the results can be found here and your feedback is forming an important part of our current strategic planning process.

Help us put our plans into practice

By joining our supporter programme with a regular donation, or joining a local group in your area, you can help us to build an effective and powerful movement for change.

Find out more from our supporters page and local groups page. 

Hugh Noble: The Spirit Level Revisited

You might remember that last summer Policy Exchange published a pamphlet questioning the conclusions of The Spirit Level. In December, supporter Hugh Noble produced a response. In his words, "the critical analysis of The Spirit Level which Peter Saunders has offered us cannot be taken seriously because it contains so many serious technical flaws."

Read Hugh Noble's full paper here 

Read our responses to the critics here

Equality Bristol - Andrew Radford writes:

"It was good to participate in the recent focus groups at The Equality Trust, to explore the way forward for their important work - and to meet others from around the country who are also trying to get things going locally.

The Bristol group first met in July 2010, following a presentation by Richard and Kate at the Festival of Ideas. There were nine of us and, frankly, we had no idea what we were about! Six months and five meetings later we have over thirty members on groupspaces.com/equalitybristol and we have a plan:

- The Bristol Equality Declaration, which we will be inviting all candidates for the May local elections to sign up to.

- The Bristol Equality leaflet, which we aim to distribute as widely as possible, explaining the findings of The Spirit Level, publicising our group and encouraging local political lobbying.

- The Bristol Equality conference, planned for later this year.

- Data collection about Bristol.

We meet regularly and use the Groupspaces platform to keep in touch in between. As with all voluntary groups we have found that we have a handful of real activists and a further group of people with less time who can float in and out, so we try to spread the load.

We don't have 'officers' but rotate responsibility for organising meetings - each organiser is responsible for finding a venue, sorting an agenda and writing up the minutes. Numbers at our meetings have varied from 10 to 15 - up to half our members.

We recognise that our activities will need finance so we are in the process of opening a Co-op Bank community account and will be embarking on some fundraising, specifically to fund our leaflet printing, postage costs associated with the Equality Declaration campaign, and our forthcoming Conference.

Please do visit our new website for more about Equality Bristol and good luck with your campaigning!