A manifesto for a brighter future where all children can thrive
What would our society, our cities and our economy look like if they were better designed to help children thrive?
“A clarion call to make tomorrow much better for our children, offering evidence, ideas and practical steps that need to be taken urgently. Politicians of all stripes should have this book and the actions on top of their to-do list!”
Professor Sir Michael Marmot CH, Director, UCL Institute of Health Equity
About the author

“I created Raising the Nation so that every child can have every chance to grow up to be the person they have the potential to be and so create our best possible future as a country.”
Paul Lindley OBE is an award-winning British entrepreneur, social campaigner and best-selling author. In 2006 he founded Ella’s Kitchen, the UK’s largest baby food brand. In 2018 he was appointed Chair of London’s Child Obesity Taskforce by Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, and was appointed Chancellor of the University of Reading in 2022. In 2019 he founded just IMAGINE if… a biennial innovation competition supporting entrepreneurial ideas addressing global challenges. He is Chair of Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights UK, sits on the board of environmental beer brand Toast Ale and is a Trustee of Sesame Workshop, the creators of Sesame Street. His first book, Little Wins: The Huge Power of Thinking Like a Toddler was published in 2017.
“Deeply practical, a route map of where we have gone wrong and what we can put right. It should be required reading for the next government.“
Brendan Cox, founder of the Together coalition
Read the Essays
The Raising the Nation book sets out big public policy ideas, enhanced by contributions from academic and campaigning experts with 40 essays featured in the book and a further 26 exclusively available on this website. Meet the essayists below, browse the book content and read the exclusive website essays.
Meet the Essayists
“Mandela said, ‘Our children are … our greatest asset as a nation.’ Paul Lindley uses this to set out the vital regeneration of our children’s future: a brilliant, exciting manifesto for change, a real gift to any political party with vision.”
Baroness Helena Kennedy KC

“The right book at the right time…. full of fresh ideas. It should be required reading for all policy-makers in national and local government.”
Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester
Raising the Nation videos
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