My community and why it’s important - part 1

in #community4 years ago

We have owned and lived in our very modestly sized two bedroom terraced house for nearly 12 years. No garage, no driveway, not much space. But at least it’s OURS.

We’re situated in the middle of a quiet row of terraced houses on a cobbled road that is essentially like a cul-de-sac, but it’s technically not.

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Behind our houses are huge factory roofs. We get a view of them from our large back windows.
Inside these various factories they produce recycled clothes, processed chicken and cement. Quite the combo, eh?

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Anyway, we have lived here long before we had our two kids (2 & 6) but we physically outgrew the house years ago.

But we LOVE this street.

The community we’ve all built here on our terrace is, I would say, rare.

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The road is now full of amazingly considerate, diverse, generous and interesting humans that we are proud to call our friends. Who all live next door.

It’s the kind of place that your grandparents might have talked fondly about once upon time.
Hanging the washing out whilst catching up with numerous others, sharing food and cooking things up, kids playing out with each other and other adults keeping a good eye on them etc.
There’s always someone to talk to outside, with a hot drink and a few of us often sit out for an evening drink and chat.

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We have a WhatsApp group chat too for all residents on the street which is useful in lots of ways.

Recently we’ve had a lot of positive activity going on, in the street, which has blossomed especially with the arrival of lovely new neighbours.

We’ve all had a general push to make the place a more pleasant place to live with a spot of gardening.

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We all chipped in to make the overgrown bit of land at the end of the road in to a veg patch!
So far we’ve stripped back an incredible amount of brambles, nettles and small trees. The soil under looks lovely and we can’t wait to get it up and running.

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Another way we work as a community is to keep an eye on the security of our houses and possessions.
Our neighbourhood watch is insane. We always feel safe and secure here.

We’ve never had any significant trouble down but it’s a thoroughfare for pedestrians, so we all certainly keep an eye open for each other.

We also celebrate together too.
We recently had a BBQ street party (on what was possibly the hottest day of the year) to celebrate our neighbour turning 30.

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I love that the road has an average age of about 30 :)

This community at the moment, in times like these, is really important.
We didn’t realise how special this was and how much we need people.
We don’t want to let this place go but someday soon we will have to sell up and move on. That’s a sad thought.

But until that day comes, our family will enjoy what he have going whilst we have it.

We all need a community to belong to, whether it be real world or in the case of HIVE; an online place to share and build together.

There’s a real value to being part of, and building, a meaningful community.
It’s something you really can’t buy.

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How good is this! Oops, is the Aussie rubbing off on me...

It's making me feel a little homesick looking at those familiar British houses and streets. I really miss the community feel we used to have at the school we attended, but it's not something I've experienced outside of school. So good to know it's not completely dead.

Aw didn’t mean to make you home sick!
Where did you live in the UK?

I love these houses too.
Especially old stone one, blackened with soot and age.

Yeah school communities tend to be strong, but social ones based around where we live are hard to find. Fairly typical of the UK I think.

I'm from Derbyshire, almost Nottinghamshire. We lived halfway between the two cities. My sister moved to Leeds and the Yorkshire area is stunning! We had a lovely holiday in Ripon before I moved out here.

Ah that’s great!

Yorkshire is indeed beautiful. I’m in Huddersfield, born and raised here.

Rippon is lovely! Only been there once before to be honest, maybe a little revisit is required!

We love the idea of getting away someday, start another adventure :)

Sounds like an amazing place to live and is pretty rare to be in such a close knit community these days. We've been in this house for 3 years now and barely know any of our neighbours. Its very transient with lots of offshore workers.

Yeah this place is special!
What city/town do you live in?

I'm on the Norfolk Coast just north of Great Yarmouth.

Ah that’s awesome! Some distance from me. Bet it’s beautiful!

I would not move out of that house if you're so settled - I'd extend/ redesign the interior/ get a mobile home to use an office, do anything to stay there!

Sounds like an amazing place to live!

Haha yeah I know, we don’t want to leave really. But we need a garden and another room.

We’re thinking of doing a motor home though, so we could keep the house for longer and go on some adventures!

Depends how long others on the road stick about too.
There are lots of rented houses - so people come and go. But we’re enjoying it whilst it lasts!

I'm happy for you, Ash.
Enjoy it, while you can ( and I mean that in the best way possible ).

This is something we are reminded of more and more these days.

To enjoy the small things, each other's company, our health,
those things many of us have been taking for granted for way too long.

A hug from Portugal! ✨

Completely, this is an exercise in appreciation for what we have and that it won’t last forever.
Let the good times roll.

All the best for little old England 😁

Looks like a really active and awesome community you have there Ash!
I also love stone houses! Peaky Blinders style ;)
Too bad you have to live bro but some times there is no other choise!

P.S Congrats for the HUGE power up man!
Cheers yo!

Haha yeah I never thought of the Peaky Blinders style. These are old houses, built around 1850 for the factory workers. They’ve got their issues but are well built solid houses with lovely old features.

it is hard to find this kind of community even in smaller towns. you hit the jackpot here.

Yeah man, we’re feeling the love!
It won’t last forever but we’re enjoying it whilst it lasts 😁

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