Outernet Proudly Displays Crosses of Hope St George Flags to Promote Unity

Outernet London is proudly displaying Crosses of Hope St George Flags on its giant screens to carry the message of unity, patriotism and community.

The project began when Katie Evardson called on creative team Jenny Tighe and Bryn Walters to reimagine the cross as a symbol of unity and hope. After Katie shared their work on LinkedIn, Shishir Patel, a creative director, saw it and was immediately moved by its power and developed the concept further. He then shared his interpretation and since then, more and more people have contributed, showing how widely the idea resonates and how it is continuing to grow as a people-led movement.

Each St George Cross Flag carries a positive message – simple and to the point. The flag and what it stands for is for everyone. After a period of months where the St George Cross flag has been used to intimidate and alienate many people in the UK it was time to change the story.

Shishir Patel said:

 "I was driving through Burnley with my family and the whole town was covered in St. George Cross flags, on lamp posts and roundabouts. It made me feel weird. It shouldn't have, because it's the flag of the country I was born and grew up in. But it suddenly took me back to when I was a boy in the 1970s and the National Front were brandishing the flag and telling non-white people to 'go back to where they came from'. Why does the English/British flag create these feelings? It shouldn't. It's a symbol of unity, belonging, national pride and shared values - something we can all get behind, no matter what the colour of our skin.”

Katie Evardson said:

“I couldn’t stand by and watch the cross become a symbol of division. The Crosses of Hope are about reclaiming it for everyone — a reminder that national pride should be rooted in unity, belonging and collective spirit. For the world to move forward, we must put out more love, acceptance and goodness than hate, division and fear.”

Jenny Tighe said:

“The flag is everywhere and on everyone’s lips, it should be a symbol of unity, but it feels like it’s dividing communities. We wanted to add a positive spin and remind people that we can be patriotic AND celebrate the beautiful diversity and depth of our country.”

Jessica Dracup-Holland, Chief Marketing Officer Outernet said:

“It’s rare to see something so creative and powerful that it instantly stops you in your tracks. When I saw Shishir’s post online, I knew immediately we had to help amplify it. Outernet’s screens are about giving important ideas the biggest stage possible, and this message, reclaiming the flag as a symbol of unity, couldn’t be timelier. National pride should be about collective spirit; bringing people together, not driving them apart. We have seen far too much hijacking of patriotism in recent times, and we hope the Crosses of Hope goes some way to counter that.”