What is a community?
I saw an article recently which questioned the community I live in. The woman who wrote it had lived in my town in her childhood (many decades ago) and had recently visited in the guise of promoting a book she had written, a book based here. She didn’t hold back in her criticism of the town I’ve called home for the last 20 years. The comment that really jarred with many people was that there was no community, she defined us as just an overspill town.
Oh the rage!
It did get me thinking about what makes a community.
According to AI, the definition is:
“A group of people who share something in common, such as geographic location, interests, values, experiences, identity, or goals, and who often interact, support each other, and build a sense of belonging together.”
While the town has grown so has the breadth and depth of our community. From local football clubs to choirs, from LGBTQ+ groups to creative hubs, from Scouts to U3A we have so many intersecting communities to be part of. The town may have grown and changed but the people living here are welcoming, warm and down to earth. If anything good came from the pandemic it was the solidarity of neighbours, how our community stepped up to support each other which created a town which echoed with togetherness.
Communities are grown, nurtured and they evolve. I think that’s the bit she missed. As someone who is part of a growing Midlife360 CIC community, I can see the value it brings, feeling part of a group and gaining support from others who share and understand where I am at.
Each community shows up through the people who have a shared connection and a strong intention. Whether community comes through geography or a platform it can bring people together and create a sense of belonging and togetherness.
How we identify within our community or as my friend Kate calls it our “tribe” can help define us and support us. So, to the woman you have missed the point, community is here in so many ways, you don’t know what you’re missing.
To find out more about the events and benefits of being part of the Midlife360 CIC community, just get in touch via hello@midlife360.org.uk