Monday 21 January 2013

〽 you don't know what you've got till it's gone

our high streets and shopping habits have 
changed over the last decade
so what do we do with the empty shops 
the abandoned spaces?

last year I went to a seminar about this subject
and there are interesting projects going on
all over the country:
people like 3Space who 'turn empty space
into an opportunity' by working with landlords
to allow local enterprises and community projects
temporary free-of-charge access to those spaces

community projects like FoodCycle
who create amazing meals from food waste
for people affected by food poverty

the youth club reinvented by Grassroots 
giving 16-25 year olds a place to hang out or 
take part in workshops:
much needed in most towns!

how about a free book shop on your high street?
take a book away, leave one behind
you can in Basildon at Books For Free!

it's not all about spending money or filling our bags
with shopping
what about community, contact and a sense 
of belonging
Mary Portas touched on this in her review into the 
she recognises the potential in the future entrepreneurs
and the need for community and creativity:

imagine an abandoned shopping centre as a 
place to create, a place to skate
artists taking over high rise awaiting demolition
floors and floors of studios
empty shops as pop-ups for small businesses
and start-ups: 
a whole shop or just a small corner

when I was younger, we wanted to go into town:
it was a meeting place
somewhere to linger, talk and be:
I think we need to bring that back before our high streets
turn into ghost towns

Wednesday 16 January 2013

◯●○ win

once I had never won a single thing in my life
ever
not even the rubbish prizes at the end of a raffle
 but that changed
the spell has broken
and a surprise appeared
 after I left a comment on an
advent giveaway blog
this delicious brooch came
it's going to be a good year don't you think?