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Open Establish a 'Less Scroll, More Soul' Bank Holiday: An Offline 'In-Community' Day

Created by Jessica Butcher MBE
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We think the country urgently needs a breather: an annual reset for our overwhelmed, disconnected lives. A day to log off, look up & reconnect. A government-backed opportunity to build awareness of the grip tech has on us & remind us of what matters in a healthy society: people, place and presence.

We are an addicted, distracted nation. There are studies suggesting 67.4 million hours a day are lost to scroll and that children spend less time outdoors (<1hr) than inmates. We think loneliness, anxiety and polarisation are spiralling & all this before consideration of specific harms: exploitation, misinformation & more.

We have fewer bank holidays than almost anywhere in Europe.

One offline day a year could provide not only a critical reset but an opportunity for charities to showcase community volunteering opportunities.

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    This petition will stay open until 24 August 2026.