Author: Deborah Castellanos
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Writing to a Councillor Effectively
I remember sitting in a drafty church hall back in ’94, watching a perfectly good neighbourhood scheme dissolve into nothing because the chairperson thought sending a polite, vague email was enough to get things moving. People often think that knowing… Continue reading
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Finding the Service You Need Locally
I remember sitting in a drafty community hall back in ’94, staring at a pile of glossy, overpriced brochures for “consultancy firms” that promised to revitalize our high street. It was a total waste of time. People think that learning… Continue reading
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Your First Visit to a Record Office
I remember sitting in a drafty basement archive back in ’94, surrounded by the scent of damp paper and old glue, staring at a clerk who looked like he hadn’t seen sunlight since the Thatcher administration. I had a simple… Continue reading
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A Meeting That Ends on Time and Decides Something
I remember sitting in a drafty church hall back in ’94, watching a local residents’ group completely dissolve into nothingness. It wasn’t because they lacked passion or a decent pot of tea; it was because they spent two hours arguing… Continue reading
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Twelve Weeks to a Community Event
I remember standing in a drafty church hall in 1994, surrounded by three dozen half-filled clipboards and a group of neighbors who were all shouting at once about the cost of bunting. We were trying to figure out how to… Continue reading
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Finding Volunteering That Suits You
I spent thirty-one years in local government, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that people make finding community work far more complicated than it needs to be. You’ll see these glossy websites and massive national databases promising… Continue reading
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Tracing the History of One House
I remember sitting in a drafty community hall in 1994, staring at a pile of crumbling, water-damaged ledgers that everyone else had written off as rubbish. The local council wanted to tear down the old parish annex, claiming there was… Continue reading
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Starting a Neighbourhood Group From Nothing
You don’t need a massive grant, a professional consultant, or a fancy community centre to make things happen. I’ve spent thirty-one years in local government, and if there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that people make “community building” sound… Continue reading
