The Girl from Brazil…..

I knew very little about Brazil other than the fact that it is a huge South American country with rain forests, Reef sandals, scantily dressed women on Copacabana beach, the huge Christ statue above Rio de Janeiro, colourful cities, shanty towns and of course the 2014 football World Cup!

 

That all changed in June when sixteen year old Naiara de Salvo Lisboa came to stay with us for two weeks. Nai was on a month long tour with her school visiting Paris and London before spending two weeks in Paignton at the Devon School of English polishing her already excellent English. Her only linguistic stumble was the pronunciation of ‘ed’ where words like finished become finish-ed. I speak no other language with any fluency and therefore folk like Nai have my deepest admiration.

Over evening meals we were introduced to the beauty of Brazil and its colouful culture. Nai is a Catholic and shared Sunday mass with me, commenting on the similarities here with the more vibrant Brazilian celebration. Thinking about the World Cup I loved her comment that Brazil should win because whilst the pope is Argentinian she thought that God was probably Brazilian!

Nai enjoyed her time with the the Devon School of English and thought their standard very high. Every morning was spent in the classroom and afternoons were packed with interesting visits around the English Riviera and atmospheric Dartmoor National Park. They even managed a day surfing!

The overseas students bring a special vibrancy to South Devon and a welcome boost to the local economy. Their interaction makes the world a smaller and perhaps safer place, which has to be good for all of us. Nai is back in Belo Horizonte now enjoying almost endless sunshine and we miss her boundless energy.

Look for the light rather than the darkness.

My column in the Herald Express 26th June 2014

The other day I ‘shared’ a post on Facebook. For those of you who don’t play with social media let me quickly explain. Facebook is a social media platform on the Internet for the sharing of information, uploading photographs and generally keeping in touch with friends.

One of my friends shared something the other day that he had seen which worried him. The worry was a picture of the House of Commons debating funding for an important social issue with only of handful of politicians present. Given the nature of what was being discussed and the apparent lack of political interest I thought it important and therefore ‘shared’ the story and picture with a personal comment expressing my concern. Local MP Adrian Sanders almost immediately posted a comment explaining that the original article was a hoax! The picture from the House of Commons had been taken on another day and then the debate title below copied from another day! Why would people do that?

The thing is that these spoof news stories seem to be sprouting up a little too often these days usually with an icon that relates to a genuine news source that gives the post a false credibility. That potentially harmful disinformation can cause so much damage. With the speed of communication these days via the Internet, mobile phones, television et cetera words can spread like an Australian bush-fire on a hot windy day! The thing about words is that once they have been spoken or written then calling them back is so very hard and even if the original story is corrected too many people will not see the correction which means that the false fact trundles on potentially eternally!

Of course that false or misguided information isn’t restricted to cyberspace because daily social intercourse can be a source of quite harmful rhetoric. How often do we say something to others about something and then a little later find that what we had said wasn’t correct? Do we then contact all those that we have told and correct the fact? Probably not I rather suspect. Whilst talking to a group the other day someone commented on the seriousness of religious fundamentalism and that stimulated a debate about religion and its place in society. The comment related to one specific religious group and its ethos. It didn’t take long to understand that the speaker knew little of the religious group but did have very strong negative views about them.

We then discussed other religions and it soon became clear how limited our knowledge was. In a multi-cultural society peppered with religious dogma that has to be a worry. How easy it is to stigmatise and label identifiable groups! Education is changing on a daily basis as Michael Gove MP rampages through the curriculum dumping subjects and my worry is that religious education will slip into obscurity. That in my humble opinion would be a disaster because religious education is about understanding how social groups interact and not simply about worship. Most of us, if not all of us, will have been conditioned in some way by the religious experience and certainly when I was at school every day started with a corporate act of Christian worship. But in those growing years I knew almost nothing about Judaism, Islam, Hinduism et cetera and therefore equally very little about the cultural norms surrounding them.

Can I give you some homework? If you have access to a computer why not search for an online encyclopaedia and learn a little about some of them. Nip in to your local library (while we still have a network of libraries!!) and find a book that simply explains the nature of each. But whatever you do please stay away from the spiteful rhetoric that is so divisive and hurtful too often rooted in ignorant bigotry. To build a healthy community we really need to embrace neighbours and the richness that multiculturalism can bring. That can start by simply smiling at a stranger and if you are feeling really brave you could also say hello!

We live in restless times with increasing evidence that communities seem to be tearing each other apart in so many places. If that is to change then we really need a much deeper understanding of each other and that can start with you! Look for the light rather than the darkness. Seek the good rather than the bad. Find something nice to say about people rather than constantly looking for the negative. You can make a difference.

Keep the smile.

    

Many many years ago I started a journey with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and that ‘pilgrimage’ continues today.

What sort of community do you want? I have to ask because to be quite honest I am getting increasingly confused. I thought I understood once, but now I am not so sure. Listening to the shards of radio news, television bulletins, occasional glances of newsprint and of course the ubiquitous social media postings should give me a feeling of what ‘community’ might be. But is doesn’t and that, for me, is a worry. 

A little while ago Tesco cancelled their plan to open a large store in the middle of picturesque Brixham. Whether you were for the Tesco development or against it now doesn’t really matter because the plan has slipped into history. What does matter however is what you thought about community impact of that development and whether the views of all the local population were reflected in the decision making process.

In the post-Tesco decision period I noticed a comment made by local councillor Mike Morey about the lack of young people at a public meeting. My suggestion is that we, in the wider community, need to take these meetings TO the young people. In truth what we are talking about is their future without adequate consultation. But quite how you find the view of the wider young community is a problem since too often that opinion is hijacked by those with a political agenda or aspiration.

So what sort of community do we want and how do we achieve that desire without the constant battering from those preaching a divisive doctrine? With that in mind a recent worry for me was the rise of social stereotyping during the recent European elections. Mankind has always been a little prone to scapegoating; seeking those to blame when things don’t seem to be going in a direction that suits our mood. That philosophical distortion has far too many devastating consequences which can be evidenced throughout history and indeed today! Whether mankind has the ability or the desire to rise above that is a matter of debate but listening to the hurtful rhetoric during the European elections did send a shiver through my spirit.

It seems to me that to build a vibrant community with a future we really do have to engage our young in many more of the strategic planning decisions. 

Some years ago at a Paignton Town Community Partnership meeting a local policeman questioned how we might engage more positively with young people. The meeting had gathered in a cinema and it occurred to me that actually walking into that area would have been very intimidating for many people.  I’m not just talking about the very young of course but all perhaps that have more future that past! Too often those with the time to spare have strong opinions about what the young need/want and the outcome can be a distortion destined for failure.

Of course it occurs to me that  in writing this I have never really grown up and certainly as time passes I am increasingly aware how little I know! But one thing that I do know is that it is essential we all work together for the good of the local and wider community. Many many years ago I started a journey with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and that ‘pilgrimage’ continues today. There is a lesson for us all from the theme running through the DofE. That theme is about helping others, working as a team, being able to work alone and having the ability to see the task though. I had hoped that when the new Parkfield Centre opened in Paignton that it might become a catalyst for that ‘dream’ by embedding the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award there. Sadly the Parkfield landscape became a bit of a shaggy dog story, but I live in hope having met recently with two people who have fire in their eyes. 

The truth is of course is that we can all make a difference if we really really want to. The question is I suspect is whether we really want to! With the whirl and buzz of sound bite media it is all too easy to be beaten down by the constant hammering from 24/7 news. Attempting to balance what matters and what doesn’t is complicated. 

Take care with the way in which words are used especially when it comes to the casual stereotyping and labelling of others. Once the words have been used it is so very difficult to call them back! Of course that can be hard to do when you feel aggrieved by the selfish antics of others especially when you can clearly see that the action taken has had a financial gain for the few at the expense of the many. Hmm.

Keep the smile. 

The moment we lose sight of the fact we must care for each other the world becomes a darker place.

My column in the Herald Express 15th May 2014

Sir David Attenborough was eighty-eight last week and is still a vibrant role model for so many, including me. Something that he said a while ago made me reflect when I noticed his birthday mentioned in the paper. He said “We are a plague on the Earth. Either we limit population growth or the natural world will do it for us.” At the time his words sent a shiver through my spirit and I think that it still does today.

We hear so much about saving the Planet and the aspiration to make our world a safer place and yet the evidence of that happening is a little too scarce, or so it seems to me. The global stuff is hard ask when you look at the fractured communities, particularly when socio-political events and religious dogma seem to harden hearts. So what difference can we make? Philosophers and thinkers throughout history have wrestled with the growth of population and the nature of community.

Population growth is something that we must think about but of course that has huge implications socially, politically and religiously. What we can do something about immediately is the nature of our community and the way in which we look after each other. American psychologist Carl Rogers talks about ‘prizing’ the individual and that is, in my opinion, so important. The moment that we lose sight of the fact that we must care for each other the world becomes a darker place. That should be a core value in the platform we are building in the next generation.

In these restless times it seems to me that one major factor in developing a vibrant community is the provision of meaningful employment. Being able to support yourself and those around you is so important and builds self-esteem. We all may have particular ‘wants’ it is the ‘needs’ that will cause stress. A chap called Maslow many years ago produced a little triangular model called The Hierarchy of Needs which explained this nicely. At the bottom of his triangle you will find the essential building blocks of life; those things that allow you to live such as food, shelter et cetera. Having some sort of meaningful income allows latitude for the ‘wants’ but being able to cover the core ‘needs’ is absolutely vital.

With all that in mind I was particularly captivated by a recently released song by the late Johnny Cash. Many of the lyrics used by Johnny Cash carry carefully constructed social observations about the way we treat each other and of the consequences of social inequality. Those of you that take the trouble to read what I write will know that youth unemployment worries me tremendously. The Johnny Cash song can be found, with the lyrics on You Tube and is called ‘Out Among the Stars’ and the words talk about a boy who can’t find a job. It’s worth finding the time to listen to the words and meditate on how that might one day impact upon our own community.

Something that I have been working on recently is the establishment of small locally based socially focused business developments. I’m not alone of course and as huge numbers of public sector jobs go many of those people now look at starting their own business. These new start-ups are quite often registered as Community Interest Companies and seem very exciting. Whilst they quite often attract grant funding they must also have a robust business model.

One local community based organisation is Agatha’s Closet (part of Future Shores) which is a project aiming to inspire and give new skills to local people of all ages based around fashion. They now have a retail shop and workshops in Hyde Road Paignton. Do drop in and have a look at this exciting project and have a chat with Aly Lazel.

There is support from within our community for many of these new and exciting socially conscious groups. I happened to spend an evening with some very interesting folk recently. They under the banner Creative Thinking Torbay and their mission to provide a ‘think-tank’ for charity based groups. Creative Thinking Torbay is championed by Bare Foot Thinking guru Peter Redstone and includes Barry Cole from the Torbay Business Forum and the energetic Angela George who now chairs the Torbay branch of the Federation of Small Businesses. They are ‘lateral thinkers’ and invite a guest local organisation to spend two hours with them working through opportunities. It really is very good and I can certainly recommend the experience.

I guess what I am saying is that we really are all in this together and if we want to make a difference then hold out a friendly hand to those around you. In the words of Tom Paxton from his song Peace Will Come “Oh my own life is all I can hope to control. Oh let it be lived for the good of my soul.”

Keep the smile!

There's a general feeling of unrest.

(My column in the Herald Express 1st may 2014)

A little while ago I wrote about what I considered to be the master plan phenomenon because more and more of these colourful projects seem to be popping up. Curiously when the consultants write master plan it appears as one word and perhaps that is part of the trendy attraction. Anyway the other day I pitched up at a meeting hosted by the consultants employed by Torbay Council to produce a new Paignton master plan. There were other meetings for Torquay and Collaton St Mary but I didn’t attend them. Simply ran out of time. I want to share a couple of points about what is going on because for me it is a worry.

One word that seemed popular with people attending this event was apathy. The suggestion was that many local people were simply apathetic and show no interest in local development. That in my opinion is simply not true. Apathy can be defined as a lack of enthusiasm or interest and in the case of our increasingly cosmopolitan population that is not the case. It seems to me that the constant smoke and mirrors of various socio-political adjustments have produced a general feeling of unrest and perhaps community disengagement. So I have an issue with the suggestion that we, the people, are apathetic!

The second point is the level of engagement. Who do we actually expect to pitch up at these focus events? One observation from someone in my little gathering was the fact that most of the people there were older citizens and that was sadly an obvious truth. We were given maps to play with and the area in question was outlined with a large black line. It was immediately obvious that important parts of the town have been ruled out. Our hosts said that they were simply following instructions. I think that we might want to question those instructions.

The meeting was held in a room under the Paignton Club on the edge of Paignton’s lovely little harbour. That venue is not frequented by many local people and it seemed to me that the library might have been a better location. For those that prefer to use public transport the library in Paignton is next door to the bus station.

The public meeting for the Paignton and Collaton St Mary master plan was the previous day and I gather that only sixty people attended. That is a very small cross-section of the local population! Given that these meetings seem to attract older people it might have been an idea to use South Devon College and Paignton Community and Sports Academy. Both can be reached easily by bus and have campus populations of many thousands.

These plans will potentially shape the future community for generations to come. I worry about many things because that is my nature but an increasing concern is the platform that we are building, or not building for our young citizens.

Thinking about our younger citizens I have to record my disappointment over the semi-closure of the wonderful Parkfield building. I was so excited when this £4.5 million centre opened a few years ago. For a while I thought it would become the beating heart of South Devon for youth but the draconian funding cuts have left the facility somewhat beleaguered. Hmm.

On a more positive note you will be pleased to know that the six wonderful tennis hard courts at Oldway Mansion have been re-opened.  A big thank you goes to Torbay Council for taking the decision to re-open them. Three of the six are floodlit and the playing surface is really excellent. I have no idea where the Oldway Mansion project is heading but watching families playing tennis again is a real tonic.

Finally something I want to share that will to make you chuckle. A few mornings ago I had to nip over to St. Marychurch. I parked my vehicle in the car park and found that parking was only £2 for the whole day. My time there was likely to be less than an hour but sadly the option for a short stay wasn’t offered. Now, about that joined up thinking when it comes to parking policy!

Keep the smile.

We seem to live in a time of master plans.

My column in the Herald Express 16th April 2014

The 2008 Mayor's Vision - a master plan

That feeling of déjà vu sent a shiver through my body the other morning when I pitched up at the Torbay Business Forum AGM in the Riviera Centre. One part of the event was a presentation from two consultants tasked with producing town master plans for Torquay and Paignton. Why the feeling of déjà vu? Well sitting in front of me at the gathering was Nick Bye, a former mayor of Torbay. You may remember Nick Bye’s Mayor’s Vision and because I’m that sort of bloke I had recently taken the trouble to look through the large colour book that had been produced at the time. This of course was also a sort of master plan and so here we are a few years later going through a similar costly consultancy process once again.

We seem to live in a time of master plans having recently had sight of the Torbay Port Master Plan looking at the future of our three harbours and the surrounding area. Doubtless you can probably list many other master plans, focus groups, forum meetings, partnerships et cetera. Anyway the little gathering of local business people, councillors and other folk at the Riviera Centre listened attentively to the consultants as they told us many things that we already knew but also humbly pointed out that they were still getting to know the area.  It also seemed that there is a process of public engagement going on and yet many of the people attending this meeting had not been aware of that, which worried me. Hmm. I’ve just looked through the Torbay Council website and have failed to find the dates for consultation. You might have better luck.

So my next question might be as to why people that should know about consultation meetings don’t. Well one reason might simply be the almost continuous deluge of local consultative meetings. I tend to keep my eye on local events but actually attending them all seems an impossible task. I once produced a simple model in an attempt to explain why certain folk pop up at all the meetings. It seemed to me that you might draw three circles and write the word retired in one, rich in another and restless in the other. To be a regular attender you must be retired with ample time available, rich enough to have the financial latitude not to be in the work place or simply restless and therefore on a bit of a mission!  

My point is that to attended many gatherings you need time and understanding. The time to actually sit through often lengthy meeting and that therefore becomes the bailiwick of those not having to work. Add to that the ability to differentiate between the meetings that matter and the meetings that don’t matter. Sitting through hours of pointless rhetoric is mind-numbing and probably psychologically damaging!

Curiously this was the second Torbay Business Forum event that I attended that week. The first one was a breakfast event, once again in the Riviera Centre, at which the selected developer for the Torquay Pavilion and surrounding area explained what was planned.  You couldn’t fail to be impressed by the stunning architectural design but of course there were a few raised eyebrows at the potential transformation of Carry Gardens into a car park. Admittedly the car park had the facility to be used for other purposes, such as a farmers market, from time to time.  All very complicated and emotionally charged of course faced with the loss of that lovely green space.

One thing is certain and that is the fact that we cannot object to every development whilst still watching the fabric of our towns deteriorate on a downward economic slide. Any objection and indeed vote of support must be balanced. But to do that we must all engage. It is therefore absolutely essential that local councils find a more efficient way to ensure that information is easily available. Perhaps ultimately that may be by simply banging on doors and talking to people!

Now here is something to think about when we think about the future of our towns. Two speakers at the end of one of the events I attended spoke about a technological master plan. South Devon College’s Simon Friend offered a view of such a town and Grant Grafton of Sub10 Systems gave it strategic balance.  In post-Nortel Paignton many of the highly skilled staff set up dynamic technology businesses in South Devon and perhaps this is the time to drive forward the ‘Silicon Valley’ concept.

One thing is certain and that is repeating previous experience in the hope of a better outcome is dangerous.  Albert Einstein was a clever chap and once wisely said that if you do the same thing over and over again expecting a different result then you must be insane. Food for thought when it comes to the future of our community.

Keep the smile.

Anyone For Tennis? Unlikely At Paignton's Oldway Mansion!

My words in the Herald Express on 3rd April 2014

Hmmmm. The closed tennis courts at Oldway Mansion

As I started to write I felt a shiver run through me and I am sure that you have experienced similar feelings. They are, mostly, inexplicable but often seem to herald events. Perhaps that is how the prophets of old felt when they were in the business of foretelling and foreseeing. You have to wonder where the prophets of today exist; certainly not amongst our political elite and probably not amongst the broad spectrum of religious leaders.  In truth you might argue that the business of foretelling is not prophetic at all. Too often it is simply stating the obvious to people who refuse to listen. For example saying that parking charges, parking meters and enthusiastic enforcement officers will drive people away from the town centre is really stating the obvious. That sort of foretelling quite often makes prophets of us all!

It amused me, or at least I think that it was amusement, the other day when Torbay Council decided to remove a number of yellow lines to encourage folk to use the urban area. That news came shortly after I paid 70p at a parking meter to pick up my £1.10 Herald Express. Hmm. I’ve had my say on local traffic management over the years but too often felt like the proverbial lonely voice. That doesn’t worry me but the lack of joined up thinking by the decision makers does. Understanding the difference between traffic control and a parking tax (for that is what a parking meter does) is important. It is one thing ensuring that the flow of traffic is efficient but continually taxing visitors to a town centre to raise revenue is another. Bleating on about the death of town centres and then hammering another nail in the coffin by taxing all motorists attempting to visit is, it seems to me, ridiculous!

So here we are in April already with longer daylight hours and the promise of a sunny summer ahead. In a couple of months we will all be cheering on the annual tennis adventure that is Wimbledon. Last year we had the joy of Andy Murray’s stunning victory that had us all cheering. Tennis took on a life of its own as the joy of Andy’s win spread far and wide. Aspirant Wimbledon champions attempted to find court space and even the least athletic of us felt the urge to knock around uncontrollable tennis balls.

Of course locally we watched Torbay Council close the twelve lovely courts at Oldway Mansion because of the anticipated redevelopment there. So for the summer of 2013 those expensively built floodlit courts were ‘de-netted’ and locked. But as far as I know the lease has still not be signed and so the courts will again be empty for the summer of 2014. If and when the lease is signed I am told that there is a plan to build six new hard courts that will be open to the public. Hopefully the charges will not be prohibitive. To me keeping the courts closed for another summer is madness but there you go. I did write about my disappointment last year and was saddened by the comparative lack of interest.

Talking about madness do pay attention to the increasing volume of political rhetoric as we get caught up in the period of headline catching promises whilst rocketing toward the 2015 elections in little over a year. Of course the European elections happen before then and so being ever vigilant is hugely important. Listen to the words and balance the possible outcome. Too often the promise is given with the right hand and then taken with the left. The trick is not to take the headline at face value. There are many changes happening on a daily basis and as usual the people already taking the financial pain take the hit first. That has been evidenced by the recent hurtful local government funding cuts. That worrying socio-economic gap is getting wider on a daily basis. I used to worry whether we were lemmings or hamsters when it came to the economic landscape. Being a hamster might be a worry at times but lemmings have a bit of a reputation for self-harm and that my friends might be a bigger worry for us all!

I’ve said before and I make no apology for repeating myself that we all need to keep in contact with our local councillors and our elected mayor. You have a voice and a responsibility to make your views clear. Without your input too often decisions will be made that might make you feel uncomfortable. If that is the case you have to ask how that happened without you having your say. These are challenging times with it seems to me many opportunities if we keep an open mind.

Seek the positive rather than the negative and of course keep the smile!