Keep Smiling And Make A Difference

My words in the Herald Express 22nd August 2013




COUNCILLOR Alison Hernandez posted a quote on Facebook the other day which simply said "You can make a difference!"
I know that Alison believes this to be an essential truth and it is certainly something that lights my fire.
We live in busy and confusing times with so much going on that too often seems to leave us breathless.
One consequence of that breathlessness is the feeling that nothing that we say or do will make any difference but that is simply not true.
Paulo Coelho (author of The Alchemist) said recently: "Someday everything will make perfect sense. So, for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason."
It was the 'laugh at the confusion' bit that caught my attention because usually the last thing that you want to do is laugh or smile.
But here is something to think about. I have always been a little cynical about some of the antics of the social movers and shakers.
It seems to me that when confusion becomes the norm it too often appears to be a way of protecting the guilty while leaving the innocent bewildered!
By rolling over and saying that you simply can't make a difference you allow those not working for the greater good to flourish and that can't be right.
I've been wearing a bright yellow polo shirt recently with the words PAIGNTON REGATTA printed on the back.
There are numerous other folk wearing the same style of polo shirt and they all have one thing in common.
The common link is giving up time to make the annual Paignton Regatta a success. It's a community thing and happens because folk feel that they can make a difference.
My contribution is organising the Round the Pier Swim, which is a fun event.
Charles Easterbrook started the pier swim and handed it over to me three or four years ago.
It made me smile when I noticed his son Roger, on holiday from London, race into the ocean last week wearing a pair of baggy shorts!
Guy Henderson's wife Lorraine handed out foil blankets to shivering swimmers although she did say how disappointed she was that Mankini Man didn't show this year having been photographed previously wrapping him in silver!
Councillor Dave Thomas dished out free hot chocolate to all after the swim, rounding off a quite special fun time.
It's not just about the yellow shirted committee members though.
Every year the 6th Torbay Britannia Sea Scouts provide safety cover on the water. That is no easy task since they have to pull together at least two powerboats and numerous kayaks.
Local lifeguards and first aiders from the Redcliffe Hotel also pitch up to help. This is truly a community working together and underlines Alison's observation that we all can make a difference!
So many community activities require continual stimulation otherwise they tend to become sluggish and ultimately cease to function.
A recent Twitter posting, or tweet if you like, made me smile. It came from Parliamentary hopeful Kevin Foster and was about a lively Peter Larkin sermon at Saint Matthias in Torquay.
At the time I had just listened to an equally captivating and well-argued sermon from Guy de Gaynesford at the Sacred Heart in Paignton.
That caused me to reflect upon the nature of the church as a gathering place binding a community together.
The famous Tony Blair comment about not doing god rather reduced, in my opinion, that rich tapestry of art and literature. The book by philosopher Alain de Botton 'Religion for Atheists' is worth reading because it offers a completely secular view of something that might be all too easily lost in these turbulent times.
"Where's he going with this?" you might ask, if you have read this far! My point is that for a community to function for the good of all we must accept that we can all make a difference.
The uniqueness of life is amazing and acknowledging the colourful fabric that potentially binds us all together is stunning.
But you need to engage and to bring your uniqueness to the table rather than simply sitting back and saying 'what can I do?'.
One starting point might be seeking out the positive rather than bleating about the negative. Look for good things to say rather than the spiteful.
My day starts with a meditation and even when feeling battered by 'stuff' I still attempt to produce a positive platform in my mind.
Sometimes that is hard work but the fact that my spirit feels low is not a reason for allowing the negative to dominate!
Seek out what matters and hang on to the things that will bring all sections of our community together. It is worth the effort.
Keep the smile.

A Future Without Hope Is Dangerous

My stuff in the Herald Express 8th August 2013

Being tagged as NEET is not neat. Not neat at all. But what is a NEET? A NEET is a young person who is not in employment, education or training and the fact the numbers are growing is a huge worry for our society.
The thing is that if our young folk are not in some meaningful employment, full-time education or training then what ARE they doing all day?
The number of NEETS in the south west has increased by 61per cent during the past 10 years and the estimate is that more than 84,000 young people fall into this category — 84,000 young people in the south west.
I don't know about you but I find that really shocking.
So what are they doing all day if they are not in employment, education or training?
If you don't know the answer then perhaps it is time to find out before this social problem gets out of control.
A future without hope is a dangerous condition emotionally.
Of course, the numbers will fall as the post-16 landscape changes.
From this summer, our young folk will be required to continue in education or training to the end of the academic year in which they turn 17.
Then after the summer 2015, they will be required to stay until their 18th birthday.
Of course, they do not have to remain at school although full-time education in an educational institution is an option.
The other two options is an apprenticeship or part-time accredited learning if they are in full-time employment or volunteering.
The question is does that solve a problem or simply push the problem to a later date?
The old saying about taking a horse to water comes to mind as does the concept of wilful blindness.
Ultimately it will be about the provision of jobs and that, in my opinion, is about a re-balancing of the economic landscape with a more equitable sharing of wealth. Hmm.
Still keeping the NEET situation in mind, by a curious twist of location I found myself on a sunny afternoon wandering around the refurbished Torre Abbey with Gordon Oliver, Mayor of Torbay, and Steve Parrock, CEO of the Torbay Development Agency and now also Torbay's chief executive officer, as 'tour guides'.
They did an excellent job and I was completely captivated by what has been achieved.
Torre Abbey has now been re-opened to the public and I really would recommend you spend a day wandering around the abbey plus the stunning gardens.
Of course, the 'tour guide' bit was a little extra because my meeting with Gordon Oliver was very much about our young people and, in particular, the future use of the Parkfield Centre on Paignton seafront plus the development of the Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE is the new brand name) for those outside the school / college world.
I guess, therefore, in many cases this will be about the NEETS and finding a way of making a better road for them.
Gordon Oliver and Steve Parrock seemed very supportive and that rounded off a quite atmospheric afternoon.
Thinking about Torre Abbey and the magical way in which the refurbishment has captured the rich history of Torbay, it made me reflect upon the many wonderful assets that we too often take for granted.
There are so many things that we too often fail to notice and yet are simply captivating.
We have beautiful woodlands, stunning gardens, endless beaches, splendid harbours, ancient houses, atmospheric coastal walks, deep caves and so many other wonderful attractions.
To say that there is nothing to do in Torbay is simply not true.
Why not start with a visit to Torre Abbey and take a walk through history?
Pause for a while in the gardens and touch the walls which once supported the abbey church hundreds of years ago.
Take yourself to the deepest part of prehistoric Kents Cavern and place your hand on the cave wall which was once touched by our cave-dwelling ancestors.
Why not simply take a walk in a part of Torbay you've never been to before?
This is our community, these are our towns and this is our time.
Let's share it and celebrate.
Keep the smile.

Let's Celebrate The Positive!

My stuff in the Herald Express 25th July 2013

 

Within our local community we all have a duty, in my opinion, to contribute personal energy. Let us celebrate the positive rather than the negative and not to be knocked down by nasty spiteful comments. Oddly enough the recent fine weather has brought a smile to many weary faces who thought that hot summer days locally were simply a distortion of ancient memory! When we look back the sunny days do tend to dominate.

 

As I start to write I suddenly noticed that my mobile device has less than 3% power left and the power source in another place. The summer sun has yet to climb over the distant horizon and yet the day is already very warm making me feel a little like my mobile device waiting for energy boost to kick in. Every two weeks, usually in the early morning light, I gather an eclectic mix of local happenings to shape what I want to share on this platform.

 

That made me reflect upon the energy levels within our community and what we have that provides the much needed power boost to drive us all forward. The phrase "What floats my boat" comes immediately to mind because it is so much easier to travel with the things that bring us joy rather than the things that, like a Harry Potter Dementor, suck at the very spirit mercilessly.

 

You would have to been in an isolated place for the past six or seven years not to notice that for the majority of us these have become difficult and very challenging times. I say for the majority because there are quite a few who cruise on regardless not challenged by the fiscal twists and turns that have reduced the energy levels of so many. I've spoken before about the words of the Lakota Indian philosopher Joseph Marshall and his simple yet energising message that we must all keep on going. But what keeps us going when the gradient is painfully steep?

 

Years ago my doctor decided on a new course of medication for me. I queried why I would want to take them. His answer was that they might make me live longer. Of course I questioned why that mattered to which he said that it would help my natural curiosity as to what comes next! That is a truth for all of us and is a reason for keeping energy levels high by greeting each day with enthusiasm. That is hard to do at times but attempting to keep a smile when you really don’t want to is a good starting point!

 

Three things brought a smile to my craggy face recently. On a sunny Saturday morning recently I found Paignton’s family friendly beach packed with rowing gigs from all over the South West. Hundreds of people watched enthusiastic teams rowing close to the beach under the banner of Paignton Gig Regatta. Torbay was at its sparkling best that day with a clear blue sky and wall to wall hot sunshine. Paignton Rowing Club appears to be attracting increasing numbers of folk on the water and it is an absolute joy to see so many local young people participating. There has been much talk recently about the Olympic Legacy and it has to be said that it is very much alive and kicking at Paignton Rowing Club.

 

Other refreshing experiences included a visit to the Robert Owen Communities team based on Steamer Quay Road in Totnes. ROC is a unique organisation doing some wonderful work. In their own words say “ROC exists to help as many people as possible, throughout the UK, who have learning or similar disabilities to be who they want to be. ROC believes all people with a learning disability should have the chance and the support to be able to do what they want to do. ROC will work towards making this happen. ROC will do this by valuing and supporting all people who use our services, and those who support them.” For me the phrase ‘To be able to do what they want to do’ is such an important message for all of us.

Sometimes things happen that really do inspire and recently I was asked to present certificates at the annual presentation for the learning opportunities students at South Devon College. They had all worked so hard to achieve awards and to see so many also getting DofE Awards (Duke of Edinburgh’s) had me smiling for days. Wonderful achievements and the celebrations were really inspirational. I was certainly inspired!

It is all too easy these days to look at what isn’t going too well and decide that the whole world is in much the same state. But it isn’t! By all means point out constructively things that seem not to be for the greater good but we must constantly seek the exciting and innovative work being done quietly by so many locally.

Keep the smile.