Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, UK
info@capitalofthefens.org.uk

November 2017

November 2017

The “Season of Goodwill” is almost upon us, so today I’m looking at the goodwill I find in people all year round. They are hidden gems just as worthy of mentioning and promoting as the events and places I write about. The last two Culture Focus columns have been about two groups of people getting together for fun and friendship, but it’s more than that. They will be helping each other in many more ways than just friendship and a good night out, they will be building a community. In local government terms, this is “social capital”- a way to describe society supporting itself, leading to less reliance on public services. These kinds of groups, be they new, or longstanding like the Lions or Round Table, have always been full of people with a common interest, often to help others. It is good that they are being appreciated by the public sector as a valuable resource.

 

If you are in a group, or want to start a group, it is much easier to get help than you might think. Lizzi Wales is the Cambridgeshire County Council Youth and Community Co-ordinator whose responsibility it is to develop this change in public service towards more community based support –  she says “there is a real imperative to work alongside local people to facilitate local community action that helps to mitigate any increasing vulnerability or rising need in their community”.

 

Lizzi is a gem if ever there was one! I see her often at various meetings and groups and have always admired her ability to pick out the particular points of the discussion and find a way forward. She says her work is based on the principles of “appreciating and mobilising individual and community talents, skills and assets (rather than focusing on problems and needs)” This is something that I feel strongly about and to me is the essential change of thought process that needed to happen within local government.

Lizzi’s role is to guide people through developing an idea and their community group. She also has access to a small fund that can give just the push needed to get you started. The idea is that: “people will be better placed to help themselves and each other so that those who need a little extra support can find this from within their local community”. The group can take any form – Rima’s Ladies from a previous column were helped by Lizzi to get started, The Penelope Business Club is pictured, and I have connected the SlotStox group I wrote about last time as well, to see if there’s anything they need that she can help with. Feel free to contact me for more details.  (Next time, all about the Christmas Fayre!)

 

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