Change the record this Budget Day
Today is Budget Day, and as the Chancellor addresses Parliament and holds his red case aloft for the journalists, I’m left asking why we still live in a world where... read more →
Speaking of change
It’s that time of year. No, not that voracious US import Black Friday, bellowing at us to dive into a queue for a heavily discounted TV, phone, drone, pair of... read more →
Are smart cities really that clever?
For many years now I have been invited to 'smart city' meetings, conferences and events. We are told we all need to use 'open data' the 'internet of things' and 'smart... read more →
Museums – the next big thing?
Museums are changing - and not just to keep up with the times. They're pace-setters. The Victorian government, which paved the way for museums to spring up all over the... read more →
300,000 reasons to take workplace wellbeing seriously
The government’s new report shows the massive cost of ignoring mental health in the workplace. We need to act now – and Happy City is ready. Today the government published... read more →
Fixing our broken economy
I always remember an old campaigning friend of mine, Jose, being asked on live South African TV, ‘So, does your organisation want to break the economy then?’ The tricksy journalist... read more →
The power of the compassionate pause
Today is World Mental Health Day, a day of action and commitment and focus – towards promoting acceptance, diversity and empowerment, or redirecting resources or raising awareness. But working towards... read more →
Measuring wellbeing is more vital than ever
This week the Office for National Statistics published its Local Wellbeing results for 2016-17, including a review of trends in wellbeing since the UK’s then prime minister David Cameron famously... read more →
The austerity morality myth
There’s no denying it – self-denial is in our bones. Most of us sign up to it at some level – the endless diets, the dry Januaries, sacrifices made to prep... read more →
Governments must focus on happiness
When it comes to a government’s priorities, there is no alternative to nurturing citizens’ happiness. The word is out. GDP growth is not a good indicator of how well a... read more →