Tottington Civic Pride

A Departure

This is a bit of a departure from what I normally write about. It isn’t about technology. It isn’t about AI, SEO, cybersecurity or hacking. And no, it isn’t virtue signalling either.

This is about something much more fundamental: being a productive member of your community. Most of what I write explores how technology can be used for good or ill, and how understanding it can help improve your circumstances. But sometimes it’s worth putting all of that to one side and talking about something much simpler. This is about how you strengthen your community — and, in the process, enrich your own life.

Something Changed

A few weeks ago, I joined Tottington Civic Pride (TCP), led by Councillor Yvonne Wright. You might reasonably ask: why on earth would Deakster join a community volunteer group?

The answer goes back a few years. Tottington looked tired. There was litter, graffiti, neglected spaces and very little that made the village stand out. It wasn’t terrible, but it certainly wasn’t somewhere that looked loved.

Then I began noticing a small group of volunteers out cleaning the streets, planting flowers, painting over graffiti and generally making the village somewhere people could be proud of. They weren’t being paid. They weren’t chasing publicity. They simply cared about the place they lived.

That made an impression on me.

A Plant Pot and a Conversation

One day, while my mum and I were waiting at the village bus terminus, a lady asked if I could help lift a heavy plant pot from her car. Of course I said yes. While we were moving it, we got talking.

That lady was Yvonne Wright.

Within minutes it was obvious she was someone who genuinely cared — not just about the appearance of the village, but about the people who lived there too. The more I learned about Tottington Civic Pride, the more I realised the other volunteers were cut from exactly the same cloth.

I remember saying to Yvonne that if I ever found myself between jobs, I’d like to volunteer with TCP. A few months ago, life took that turn, and I decided it was time to make good on that promise.

Leading by Example

One thing that has always struck me about Yvonne is that she leads by example. She’s not the kind of person who simply tells others what should be done — she turns up, puts on a high-vis vest and gets stuck in alongside everyone else.

I’ve never voted in my life, but when my mum asked who I thought should get her vote in the local elections, my answer was immediate. Yvonne. Not because she’s an independent, although she is. Not because of politics. Because she actually does the work. She earned the respect of the community long before she became a councillor, and when she was elected as Councillor Yvonne Wright, it felt thoroughly deserved.

The People

Today, I’m proud to be part of Tottington Civic Pride. It’s a relatively small group, but it’s full of genuinely decent people who quietly make a real difference every single week. They’re exactly the sort of people you’d want as neighbours, colleagues and friends.

Start Locally

There’s a lesson in all of this. We spend so much time talking about changing the world that we sometimes overlook the place where we can have the greatest impact: our own community.

If you want to make a genuine difference, start locally. Pick up a litter picker. Plant some flowers. Help someone who needs a hand. Volunteer for an hour or two. Support the people who are already trying to make things better.

Communities don’t become stronger because governments tell them to. They become stronger because ordinary people decide they care.

And that’s something worth being part of.