This blog entry is mainly targeted at village readers, but I guess it could have a resonance to everyone as it is about collective responsibility and a sense of community.
For many years many of the green areas of Trelawnyd have been tended to by the village conservation group and by individuals off their own bat.
The village green in front of the pensioner bungalows has been a picture , what with it's flowering shrubs and lavender borders and the flower bed next to the Church has looked rather pretty for many years, but the volunteer problems we have seen so much in Samaritans and other such charities recently has also visited the village volunteer groups too and so some of the green areas of Trelawnyd are now looking a little tired.
I am mindful of not stepping on any toes here, as I know that there is a villager who is thinking of re-booting the Conservation group again, but I have had an idea that it would be useful to call a few volunteers together say one Sunday morning to prune and to weed and to tidy up the beds and shrubs just for one hour only!
I'll bring cream cakes!
Drop me a message if you are interested!
What a great idea John, lovely to live in a community like yours. The village will miss you - and you them - if/when you and the Prof decide to move on....
ReplyDeleteWe will do it as a collective ...." A debacle of despots "
ReplyDeleteWe will do it as a collective ...." A debacle of despots "
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff already I have 5 volunteers are you free this Sunday or sat ( or the followibg week )for 1 hour?the power of the tinternet eh?
DeleteI think so ....I shall double check
DeleteI would come, if I lived there. We need some volunteers here, but sadly out of quite a large village we only have a few dedicated volunteers which run the groups and clubs. Like you we need a few more to keep the place tidy.
ReplyDeleteUsually its the same old faces. But thats par for the course
DeleteIt's difficult to stir up collective responsibility these days. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteI am sure one hour is do-able for most folk! If I lived nearby I would join in even without the lure of a cream cake! :)
ReplyDeleteThats what i hope
DeleteA great idea, John. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteUnless you ask, you will never know who is willing to help. I hope you get a good band of helpers and the village looks good.
ReplyDeleteYou have a great idea John and I think a few volunteers will accomplish a lot together, inspiring each other.
ReplyDeleteFor a cream cake I would happily pull a few weeds lol.
ReplyDeleteOh me too!!! Well, I like to clean green things, so I would be there anyway. The cream cake would be a bonus!!
DeleteCriminals are often given "community service" by the courts. Drafting in a minibus load of these folk every month might be the way forward for tidying up Trelawnyd.
ReplyDeleteWhen i was in pittsburgh convicted fellon s were bussed in from the prison to porter the patients and run errands
DeleteCream cakes is an excellent bribe ... good luck ! I would think that people who live there would be eager to get out there and do some tidying up .. I know I would !
ReplyDeleteSo far I have the affable despot family, Bridget from well street, Sandra C who runs the village hall, me and horsey sue , 8 potentials so far!
DeleteHe this works for you John. As usual you are thinking of others.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should bring this up, I have just come back from chatting with someone about my being more able to do "one off" volunteering rather than a regular slot with a group evry week, or month or whatever. A day here, an evening there, an hour on this Tuesday. Welcomed with open arms - just goes to show you dont have to think in terms of major committments. Everybody seems really short of volunteers these days.
ReplyDeleteGood luck.
ReplyDeleteOh, dang it all. I really want some of those cream cakes but I fear Arizona is too, too far from you.
ReplyDeleteI'm guerrilla seeding a local patch of waste ground with pods from my hollyhocks. They've taken over the front garden this year, smothering a couple of more precious plants while I've been unable to tend things, so I'm lifting them and taking all bar a couple to the allotment. People often stop to admire them, and if I'm nearby will hand out seed pods, so this way we all get to enjoy them without me losing any of my Sanguisorba collection.
ReplyDeleteWhen some of the locals tidied up the village green where my aunt lives in Wiltshire, they were told off for touching council property.
ReplyDelete8 Potentials is very encouraging. I volunteer at the local American Cancer Society thrift shop, and we have a real trouble with volunteers. Ours are aging and dying. Some that remain are flat out burned out.
ReplyDeleteI am up to ten now
DeleteYou will be pleased to know that this post inspired me to chop down an overhanging hedge so that people can walk safely along a path on the Village Green. It's the Councils job to do this but we wait forever for them to come out.
ReplyDelete