"Always look on the bright(on) side of life" (queue whistling รก la Monty Python).
There's always something to look forward to, if you look hard enough.
For example, The Press reports that more than 2500 people attended the I Love New Brighton event at the weekend. Some turn out! One of the key organisers, Youth Alive Trust's James Ridpath, said organisers looked forward to building on the event, "keeping community spirits high and celebrating everything positive that's still happening in New Brighton". See, not just me.
The good thing about our community is celebrating the things we have in common, the things that bring us together. I look forward to and welcome opportunities to collaborate as it not only creates cohesion but also strengthens relationships and builds community. I can only achieve so much alone.
One thing I've given a lot of thought about lately, inspired by the obvious building debris washing up on the beach, is the crying shame that adds insult to injury that many perfectly good (and often beautiful) building materials are being dumped in the name of demolition.
And when I read stories in the Press like today's
Red-zoned homes could've been saved
it almost makes me cry! How do you think it makes our Bexley, Burwood and New Brighton Rd neighbours feel? Reading the readers' comments reminded me that, although published by the Press, doesn't make it any more credible than, say, something you might read here.
One thing you can take seriously, though, is how I feel about my Brighton community and my work and contribution towards its recovery. Yes, in this case, the Press was right- I am a Brighton advocate! And I consider myself very lucky to be in this position as I'm often given the chance to make a difference. One such difference I can make refers to my earlier thought: recycling building materials.
I bumped into a lovely lady at I Love New Brighton on the weekend; she had been sent my way. She and her acquaintances have formed a group of volunteers who go into buildings in town that are in the process of being demolished, after they have been made safe, and remove re-usable materials. For example, there are literally thousands of office chairs and desks going to waste. There are carpets being ripped up by the hectare. Insulation, lighting, door-handles- you name it, it's going into a hole in the ground unless these good people get to it first! These incredible folk are recuperating building materials to order and donating them to folk who need them. That's right: giving them away. This is definitely the bright side of life.
If you, or someone you can think of (your playcentre, church, club, school, kindy, organisation...) has a need for almost anything that can be recuperated and carried safely out of a building then the people to get in touch with are:
recover-earth@live.com . If you send them your wish list, tell them I sent them to you!
