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Archive: August 2011 EDITORIALS
THE AUGUST EDITORIAL 2011
Writing in the first week of August, if the rest of the month continues as this first week has been, we are in for a time of scorching temperatures and intervals of pouring rain. Three days of high temperatures and sunshine followed by one day of almost constant rain is a great weather pattern for gardeners. That pattern may provide problems for others but gardeners are, I suspect, delighted. Well, we’ll see how the month develops.
As we indicated last week, we’re now moving into semi-hibernation for August here at Rochford Life. We kicked off last October and with a couple of brief breaks have been at it for ten months. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so they say, and so we’re largely pausing up for some R & R. We’ll continue to post news items and newsletters etc. and Penny is indicating that her creativity is still flowing, so there will be some activity during the month - but not a lot.
This may be a time to pause and reflect over the activity of that last ten months. We have met and put online the vast majority of the shops of Rochford and Ashingdon. One or two indicated they would rather not be on line (a rather strange defensive response when you consider it is free and effortless from your part) and a few we just haven’t managed to do yet. We have started on businesses but there are still a lot to go. We’ve had dealings with three of the schools, the others just not having returned our calls. Head teachers often carry a particularly heavy load so that may be disappointing but not surprising. Waterman School has stood out as the exemplar of a confident school that is not afraid to be on view to the community. No wonder they have a full intake for next term. When it comes to churches, virtually all (one exception) church leaders have opened their doors to us and have shared their histories, their activities and their hopes. Interesting reading! We’ve also met and picked up a number of groups and organisations and it has been fascinating to learn of the activities of these.
Without question the area of community life that has opened up most to us has been the local authorities, the Parish Council of Rochford and the District Council. Whether it has been Councillors or Officers of the Council, we have found an openness and willingness to talk that has revealed men and women committed to this town in an exceptional manner. Having been part of that wider community that has lived here a long time but had virtually no knowledge (or interest) in the workings of the Councils, we have sought to redeem ourselves by doing all we can to open up the workings of these two councils (and we’re meeting with Ashingdon Parish Council in September) to our readers. No one is perfect but we cannot speak highly enough of these servants of the community.
Just in case you’re a late arrival on the Rochford Life scene, we may need to reiterate that Rochford Life seeks to ‘reveal the community to the community’ by giving space to any and every shop, business, club, group or organisation within Rochford and Ashingdon - and it is free. It’s been a good year but we are aware of particularly clubs or organisations that we haven’t reached yet. If you are part of one such group, you may like to take the initiative and make contact with us so we can get together with you and add you to this ever growing picture of what it is that goes to make up ‘Rochford and Ashingdon’.
Have a good month.
Writing in the first week of August, if the rest of the month continues as this first week has been, we are in for a time of scorching temperatures and intervals of pouring rain. Three days of high temperatures and sunshine followed by one day of almost constant rain is a great weather pattern for gardeners. That pattern may provide problems for others but gardeners are, I suspect, delighted. Well, we’ll see how the month develops.
As we indicated last week, we’re now moving into semi-
This may be a time to pause and reflect over the activity of that last ten months. We have met and put online the vast majority of the shops of Rochford and Ashingdon. One or two indicated they would rather not be on line (a rather strange defensive response when you consider it is free and effortless from your part) and a few we just haven’t managed to do yet. We have started on businesses but there are still a lot to go. We’ve had dealings with three of the schools, the others just not having returned our calls. Head teachers often carry a particularly heavy load so that may be disappointing but not surprising. Waterman School has stood out as the exemplar of a confident school that is not afraid to be on view to the community. No wonder they have a full intake for next term. When it comes to churches, virtually all (one exception) church leaders have opened their doors to us and have shared their histories, their activities and their hopes. Interesting reading! We’ve also met and picked up a number of groups and organisations and it has been fascinating to learn of the activities of these.
Without question the area of community life that has opened up most to us has been the local authorities, the Parish Council of Rochford and the District Council. Whether it has been Councillors or Officers of the Council, we have found an openness and willingness to talk that has revealed men and women committed to this town in an exceptional manner. Having been part of that wider community that has lived here a long time but had virtually no knowledge (or interest) in the workings of the Councils, we have sought to redeem ourselves by doing all we can to open up the workings of these two councils (and we’re meeting with Ashingdon Parish Council in September) to our readers. No one is perfect but we cannot speak highly enough of these servants of the community.
Just in case you’re a late arrival on the Rochford Life scene, we may need to reiterate that Rochford Life seeks to ‘reveal the community to the community’ by giving space to any and every shop, business, club, group or organisation within Rochford and Ashingdon -