The Vulnerables
I’ve realised how lucky I am working in the community I live and being able to see people as human beings as opposed to labels. It’s rare these days that I sit in meetings where I feel the h
Come and talk to us or can we talk with you?
I’ve been musing on this for a couple of days after seeing a programme put together by professionals for a community. On the programme I noticed ‘come and talk to us’ and I wondered if it should
Who Owns the Conversation?
It feels to me like there’s a long way to go in understanding the purpose of community conversations as a tool to build community rather than engage. I heard a story the other day about an instituti
Longing for Belonging
This week I’ve sat alongside those who speak and act like socialists yet vote right wing..folk who rate Tommy Robinson and plan to vote for UKIP at the next election (do they even still exist?!) The
Knitting and Knife Attacks
I spent the morning knitting and organising in the beautiful space at Wellgood Socials, listening to people offer and receive peer support and organising community events. A new association has blosso
Finding Compassion in Pain
I haven’t been here for a few days, mainly because something is burbulating and I’ve not found the words for it yet. And, life’s been really busy. Gloriously busy. And yet so difficult and frust
The Slick Machine
For a while now I’ve been writing a poem, based on a haiku with a 5-7-5 syllable format. It’s been a way often of expressing both frustration and hope and it’s really helped me to contain annoya
Joy and Pain. Old and New
We are cooking on gas. And at the same time, I can hear my Dad saying, ‘pride comes before a fall.’ Roots and wings. It feels like no one can touch the centre of that which is being created. Like
New Northern Weave
On Friday I was in the company of a glorious group of women – the New Northern Weave. Every time I’m with them I go away feeling wiser, more knowledgeable and nourished. And goodness we need n
The Common Good
I’ve been mulling over something that happened the other day and a conversation that I had with another community member a while ago. We were at Wellgood socials and a community member who holds a p