A bit of a ramble….

Posted on: 23rd October 2021

This is a bit of a ramble as I am conscious that since I stopped being a Cornwall Councillor in May I have dramatically reduced my posts on my website and am not so active on social media. I am still a (Town) councillor of course, and as Mayor of St Just, I have been incredibly busy. So, you might be thinking well, “why do we hear nothing from you?”

Me on Mayor’s Sunday .. it was good to see some of you!

The answer is a bit complicated. As a Cornwall Councillor, there is much more autonomy to be a community leader/ advocate and doer. As a Town Councillor, I can be doing as much but more is behind the scenes and can be governed by corporate (so those of Town Council) communications. Now I’m more likely to share a post from the Town Council website, on social media, than do a post from my own website. I did set up the Mayor’s posts/ tab on my website and did think I’d be posting weekly on that BUT, there have been very few civic events to report on and, as I say, there is less autonomy as Mayor to just start doing or saying stuff.

I’m now going to put another hat on! Chair of Lands End Peninsula Community Land Trust. The community projects we are involved in are the re-development of the skate park – that is a new skate park not changing it to something else! That has started and might be complete by the end of this year but more likely January as the weather is likely to slow things down. We are also being donated land in Pendeen and will be turning that into a community cemetery. Several years back we built 8 homes for local people in Pendeen (take a wander to the far end of Moorland Close if you want to check them out), something I found very stressful and hard work as a volunteer. I swore I would never do this again BUT, the housing crisis has prompted me to start talking to people about what we might do and I’m exploring options that might mean we volunteer Trustees do less of the work and have less of the worry.

I will do a post re the housing crisis and more thoughts on the possibilities so, look out for that next week.

One of the reasons I did not stand to be a Cornwall Councillor again is because I am a carer for my dad; now 94 and at a fairly advance stage of Alzheimer’s. He lives in an annex at my place and, although I have just reached the point of contemplating when I should be looking for help, I’ve now concluded I just have to keep on going. Paid for professional Carer’s are in short supply so, whilst I can stand and do, I do not think we will be any sort of priority. Sometimes he feels he is a burden and I cheerfully remind him he looked after me for many years; other times, I will admit I find it difficult as it does affect what I can do, in terms of going out/ being spontaneous.

I’m going to conclude with the reminder that COVID is still with us, albeit that those that have taken up the offer of vaccination are less likely to become seriously ill. That does not mean people do not become ill (more seem to have heavy cold like symptoms so might not even think they have COVID), and it does disrupt the education of our young people and the lives of families. It does also affect what community groups and businesses assess as safe to do so, life is far from back to ‘normal’ and it is possible that further restrictions will be introduced if we are to avoid the collapse of our NHS. Having a nurse as a daughter (she works at Treliske), I knew it was bad a week ago when she cheerfully told me “don’t get ill mum, we’re not coping!”