Who is your missing link in the community?

My community journey started from an early age after finding biscuit tins and tupperware boxes which I hit with wooden spoons along to the sounds of accordions and fiddles. What started as a rummage through the kitchen cupboards led to creating a foundation for community development in my birth town, which grew into a community music festival with peak attendance of 50,000 people and a boost to the local economy of £2 million.

​Powering the community journey ... 

After playing in various bands I started the humble beginnings of a drum circle that paved the way for a community of diverse individuals whose only dream was to bang a drum loudly in the streets. The loud sounds always changed, it was always fresh and did not have to always sound good. But most times it did sound great as the simple art of being “together” made it sound “together”. The energy of a community can, in my mind, be only measured by its diversity, that is what makes it always exciting, always evolving and always involving. From diversity we found skills, energy, communication and above all a single vision that we wanted to change our community for the better.

​The evolution of our community street band went in many different directions and I started to facilitate music workshops in various community settings involving schools, festivals, fetes, immigration detention centres and many other places where music brought people together. In my community work I brought in ideas to play on junk instruments (basically more advanced versions of biscuit tins and tupperware boxes).

​Playing on junk instruments is a great way to raise awareness of recycling and looking after our local environment. Being resourceful with upcycling items can also debunk the opinion that you have to spend more money on resources to be more successful. We quite enjoy making colourful and great sounding drums from old bicycle wheels. The community journey does not always need a destination, in fact it is more real if it doesn’t, so trust your collective community instinct, go with the flow and value all input no matter how small.

​Living in an online community

​This question made me think about how far some people go to be a part of new communities and how a lot of people live on social media these days. The rise of glorifying the celebrity status of “normal” people has grown over the years with reality shows. The shows were not watching us but people were watching them. As much as some social media may be entertaining to some, it is also just moving wallpaper to others. So perhaps our lives should be content and not let content be our lives. 

​In-Security

​Perhaps a lack of self glamour and self worth has made some of us feel insecure. How can we help people that feel that way? It may be that communities need more face time. Real face time would be great but we live in a fast paced world so perhaps there is a compromise. Let’s face some truths and take down the guard, unlock our doors and bring in the rest of a community into our lives. 

Are you the essential missing link in the community?

​Let’s hear from you

​I don't want you to think that your thoughts are simply sitting in lost property waiting to be claimed by someone else. I want to hear from you. I hope you can communicate and stop the search for a community that is simply here, outside and waiting. 

Contact me on 07932 448627 or email [email protected] for the next date and time of our online previews at www.twinwave.co.uk/chat where we will be chatting about the roles we can enjoy as a community.

​So does your role involve community development?
Can you add your knowledge of local events to create a shared list?

​P.S. Pass it on

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