People often say ‘love where you live’ and I have never found that too difficult to be honest.

I could wax lyrical about Chard, and its many claims to fame-not just that of the Henry Hoover. I like, my mum, find I have a radar for anyone from the Midlands and see them as a kindred spirit. I recently took the family back to Brighton, where I studied, and loved it all and was widely heard declaring it as the sunniest city in the UK (fact…well was when I was at Uni there a mere 15 plus years ago it held that title). And my home now, Bristol, well it’s fantastic for its art, it’s music, Jayde Adams, and it’s closeness to the rest of the south west!

I have even been known to advocate for temporary homes I have found on my travels, as if by simply staying there for more than a night I have a special connection to the place. Like an invisible thread that wraps around my heart and that place. Maybe I see it as my way of thanking the land, acknowledging that it has shaped me.

Or maybe I am an eternal optimist?

Anyway, despite all my better judgement and reasoning I have put myself on my daughter’s school PTA. A small (but mighty) primary school, that has historically done a pretty good job of celebrating its part in the local community. Think making pom poms for the giant tea cosy that covered the local cafe, trying to break records by dressing up as astronauts on mass, planting lots of trees and making decorations for the tiny telephone box museum.

However, like everywhere, money is getting tighter and needs are growing. I joined not because I like meetings, I don’t. Not because I am bored or even particularly skilled.

I joined because I love this area and I love this school and I love their way of celebrating. I want that to continue. I want my girls to be raised in an environment that values a win for one of us, is a win for all of us. That knows a giant tea cosy is a bit of fun, but it also weaves our lives in this community together. That whether we have lots or little, we need each other.

So with that in mind, local people be prepared for me to ask if you can come and help us celebrate this community at our Christmas fayre! For those further afield I would encourage you to celebrate your community, your land, your people!

Ps I regularly have Dolly Parton’s song ‘Harper Valley PTA’ going around my head during meetings- FYI our PTA is nothing like that. Although part of me would love the drama!!