I place a lot of emphasis on the importance of ‘community’.
I am writing this on August Bank Holiday Monday, and Stroud has again given itself over to the Yard Trail – an opportunity for people to come together in their front gardens or dedicated ‘multiyards’ (like the Trinity Rooms or Charlea Gardens in Brimscombe) to buy, sell or give away anything and everything, from clothes and furniture to artwork and plants.
Throughout the summer, across the district, events like this provide the social glue to where we live – Dursley After Hours, Chalfest, and Wotton’s Long Street Summer Social (sadly cancelled this year due to the weather, but still an important part of our calendar) – there are lots of examples. And every week throughout the year there are smaller events across the constituency, coffee mornings, car boot sales, park runs, reading groups, pub quizzes and so on. Day to day connections in shops, at the school gates, at the park and walking the dog are all part of building our community ecosystem, building social capital.
Being a part of these networks is essential for our mental wellbeing – but it is just as vital for our local economy. We all do it, but spending money online, or with the big chains is effectively giving our community’s wealth away. Spending money locally and recycling what we can, keeps that wealth circulating right here where we live.
As the world fractures, and corporate business and social media algorithms threaten to isolate us, there is not much that is more important.
It makes where we live stronger and more resilient.
