Dr Debbie Weekes-Bernard is London’s Deputy Mayor for Communities and Social Justice. In this blog, she welcomes the Mayor’s new Loved and Wanted campaign, which celebrates love, kindness and community.
Loved and Wanted – the new campaign from the Mayor of London – is deeply personal to me, as I know it will be to many of you.
It’s rooted in the belief that words matter and that the rhetoric of leaders has the power to either unite or divide.
Showing up for each other
During times of crisis, Mayor Sadiq Khan has consistently chosen the former – to unite – reminding us that every Londoner deserves to feel loved, wanted, and valued.
You may remember his words during the riots last August when he spoke about the importance of standing against hate and division. It was those very words directed to our diverse communities – never forget that you are loved and wanted in London – that inspired this campaign.
As the writer bell hooks taught us, “Love is most often defined as a noun, yet… we would all love better if we used it as a verb.”
Love as a verb is about action—about showing up for one another and committing, time and again, to stand together.
Sometimes it just gets a bit much
A few weeks ago, I was sat on a bench in a station platform.
I was having one of those moments that many of us have; where sometimes it just gets a little bit much. And I was pretty much unable to move and continue with the rest of my day.
I just needed to be still.
I had sat on that bench for about 20 minutes when a young man came up to me.
And he said “Whatever it is that’s going on, as much as I can’t help you, please know that it’s going to get better.”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Do you want a chocolate?”
I said no to all of those things. And he went on his way. But that solitary act not only enabled me to get up off that bench, but it made me smile.
It made me ready.
It fortified me for the rest of the day that I knew was going to be difficult, but it gave me the strength to just do what I needed to do.
Moments like these remind me of why I’m so proud to serve as Deputy Mayor of this extraordinary city.
Everyday gestures and bold actions
This campaign is about celebrating those acts of love: the everyday gestures that build solidarity, the small kindnesses that ripple outwards, and the bold actions that challenge injustice.
We know these are uncertain and unsettling times. But time and again, Londoners show us what is possible when we choose hope over fear, unity over division, and love over hate.
This campaign is a celebration of those choices, but it’s also a call to action. Love, as bell hooks reminds, requires consistent affirmation.
We cannot be complacent in defending our values. We need to actively choose solidarity every day and inspire others to do the same.
This campaign invites Londoners to immortalise those experiences of love and solidarity right onto our city – wearing their words as an armour of resilience and pride .
The Loved and Wanted campaign is a reminder of what makes our city so special and a rallying cry to keep these values alive.
As we look ahead to 2025, I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together. I encourage you to continue fostering solidarity within and across communities, standing united in our shared values.
Find out how you can get involved in Loved and Wanted.
