As our latest issue hits subscriber doormats and shop shelves this week, here are just five of the inspiring life stories from inside

In 1985, a ‘legal lynching’ led to Anthony Ray Hinton being wrongfully convicted of two murders and spending nearly 30 years on death row. While there, he watched 54 fellow inmates walk past his cell to their deaths in the electric chair, or by lethal injection.
As the 10-year anniversary of Hinton’s release approaches, he explains why he dedicates his time to preventing others experiencing the same fate. “Even on the most difficult days, we found a reason, and a ‘why’, to laugh,” he says during the revealing interview.
Image: Rob Liggins

When Kabul fell to the Taliban three and a half years ago, women across the Afghan capital began a process of self-erasure. For women writers, whose very words put them in danger, it was particularly harsh. But a UK-based programme for marginalised writers has helped keep their words alive.
Marie (not her real name) tells Positive News of the day she learned of the Taliban’s house-to-house search: “We spent the day putting all our family’s books and papers in a bucket for my father to set fire to,” she said. “As each sheet was burning, I felt as if a part of me was burning. For my survival, I have to destroy with my own hands the things that I value the most.”
She is among the women who have been working with Untold Narratives, a UK-based development programme for marginalised writers. Together, they have been compiling an anthology of their stories. This issue, Marie speaks to us from her new home in Germany, describing the pain wrought by the Taliban – and her hopes for the future. “We have a proverb: ‘At the end of every night, there is a morning’, she says. “At the end of every darkness, there is sunshine’. And meanwhile, we are writing.”
Illustration: Nathalie Lees

After his ‘disinterested’ father left him feeling bereft as a child, Paul Bent knew he wanted to do things differently with his own son. From being mindful of his body language, to choosing positive, empowering language, he’s determined that his relationship with Hunter, five, will be characterised by trust and safety.
We delve into his story as part of this issue’s cover story: a focus on how millennial fathers spend, on average, triple the amount of time with their children compared to dads in the 1960s. Bent’s experience helps to capture how children and society alike stand to benefit.
A 40-year-old regional director of a London-based estate agent, Bent is emblematic of a more hands-on, more invested kind of father figure. One who’s not just physically present but also emotionally available. “Just before Hunter goes to sleep, we have this little two or three-minute conversation, about his day and how he’s feeling,” Bent tells us. “That’s the most special bonding time. That’s our core.”
Image: Laurie Fletcher

Amanda Knox spent four years in prison in Italy after being wrongly convicted over the murder of her friend Meredith Kercher. Before being definitively acquitted in 2015, with the eyes of the world’s media on her, she had to draw deep to survive. Since then, Knox has shown resilience, courage and the capacity to forgive – and believes her unique experience holds lessons for us all.
Image: Meron Menghistab

It’s Friday evening. Front of house workers are polishing silverware and, in the kitchens downstairs, ingredients are being sliced and diced for a busy night ahead. Watching the glowing tableau, you’d assume Home Kitchen to be a fine dining establishment like any other. The Primrose Hill eatery certainly has the plush interiors and expertly curated seasonal menu to compete with London’s best.
But there’s more to Home Kitchen than meets the eye – or tickles the taste buds. Not only is the restaurant run not-for-profit, but nearly all of the staff members have experienced homelessness.
Adam Simmonds has two Michelin stars, and great ambitions for his latest project. Discover the fascinating stories of some of his new team members as our writer goes behind the pass for a feature in the new issue.
Image: Michael Cheetham Photography
Main image: Rob Liggins
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