Green travel in the countryside - impossible!

As I get older I count my blessings that I am lucky enough to be living in a small village that is quite self-sufficient; one that has the rare benefit of a pub, shop with post office, a school, two churches, a thriving village hall, a hairdresser and a regular bus service.

Perhaps more importantly, especially during the summer months when the A303 can be bumper to bumper with cars, either as a result of yet another accident, or carrying holiday makers to Devon and Cornwall for their hard earned summer break, there are five different access points. This means that no matter how jammed the traffic is I can still find a route to make my way home.

I do not enjoy driving, so on the rare occasions I am going directly from one place to another I do try to use public transport. Much of the time it is prohibitively expensive, but now that I am the proud holder of a senior railcard, it is rare for me to drive up to London to visit family these days.

Even in a town the size of Ilminster, where we have a large proportion of older not so able residents, it is no simple matter to get out and about further afield, although there is a regular affordable bus service to London. However, we only have ourselves to blame.

The way we lead our lives is significantly different to that of 20 or 30 years ago. 

Communities were more cohesive, with less need to look outside the local environment for education, work or pleasure. Technological advances have expanded our horizons considerably, and we are eager to take advantage of all that is on offer.

Whilst those who care for the future of our planet would wish us all to reduce our carbon foot print we also have a seemingly insatiable demand for all that the wider world offers – which invariably involves travel.

In parking my car at a recent event a local ‘green’ resident acting as car park attendant accosted me, shouting, ‘What ARE you doing in the car on your own?’. I pointed out, with just a hint of self-righteousness, that no-one else was travelling from the same direction, only to receive the sharp retort, ‘Well, you should have come by bicycle then.’

I found myself thinking that it was a simple matter for my protagonist, who lived barely a mile away and as a retiree has all the time in the world to get from A to B.

For most of us, time is a luxury as we juggle our commitments, lugging stuff from one place to another, travelling by any method other than one’s own car is just not a feasible option.  

Denying us this privilege, particularly by those who have already had ample opportunity to explore far horizons, seems hypocritical.   

I am travelling to India in September to visit at a women’s literacy project funded by Rotary. Whilst there I will mostly travel by train, because I will have the time to do so, travel is cheap and the country has one of the most efficient railway systems in the world.   

In the meantime, I do the best I can to support local activities and events, even if it means getting in my car to do so. As in all things, there has to be a balance and an understanding of others’ lifestyles and priorities.

Olympic gold - discipline and inspiration from others

Whilst I have never been a sports fan it seems that less than a week after the start of the Brazilian games, Olympic fever may yet take hold of me, tugging me along in the wake of the amazing achievements of our team GB athletes. At the time of writing we have already gained more medals than in the same period during the London Olympics four years ago. I can begin to feel and share in the palpable excitement capturing the rest of the nation.

In the ensuing interviews with these inspirational young champions what is apparent is that their achievements have been dependent on a number of key factors.

There are tales of the personal sacrifices they have made, denying themselves the time to indulge in the simple daily pleasures the rest of us take for granted. This requires an incredible level of dedication and focus, day in, day out, all year round, to the exclusion of all else; basically putting what the rest of us might consider to be a ‘normal’ life on hold.

This may include the regular routine of training in addition to careful consideration of diet. Throughout history foodhas always played an important part in the life of athletes; the winner of the running race at the first recorded Olympics in 776 BC was in fact a cook,

In addition to this, medal winners frequently mention the support they have received from those who believe in them, be it friends, family or financial sponsors. The importance of this cannot be underestimated. The fact that others have belief in them and what they are trying to achieve can make all the difference between success and failure. I know this from personal experience in other areas of my own life and that of those I strive to support. Positive reinforcement can motivate, whereas negative influences can eventually wear down and destroy even the most determined person’s aspirations.

I recently came across a quote by Greek philosopher Epitectus: ”So you wish to conquer in the Olympic games, my friend? First mark the conditions and the consequences, and then set to work. You will have to put yourself under discipline; to eat by rule, to avoid cakes and sweetmeats; to take exercise at the appointed hour whether you like it or no, in cold and heat; to abstain from cold drinks and from wine at your will; in a word, to give yourself over to the trainer as to a physician. Then in the conflict itself you are likely enough to dislocate your wrist or twist your ankle, to swallow a great deal of dust, or to be severely thrashed … Difficulty shows what men are. Therefore, when a difficulty falls upon you, remember that … (it is) so that you may become an Olympic conqueror; but it is not accomplished without sweat.” Such sentiments remain true in our modern day lives.
Many years before this, the physician and 'father of medicine', Hippocrates, said, “Sport is a preserver of health.” Witnessing these Olympics achievements, there can be no doubt about the benefits of leading a healthy disciplined life.

Whilst I have no right to do so, for the next few weeks I shall enjoy basking in the reflected glory of others’ achievements. Proud to be British, you bet I am. I also believe that those individuals who have the capacity to inspire others have a moral obligation to do so.

God help this country

When the result of the Brexit referendum was announced just a few weeks ago, Paddy Ashdown, the former Lib. Dem leader and Somerset MP, was quoted as saying “God help this country”. He was clearly disappointed at the vote not going his way for a cause he cares so passionately about. He and I had debated this in public along with several others and his sincere belief in that our future lay in maintaining European membership was evident to all.

The reason I mention this now is that for many of us, especially in times of trouble, there is the tendency to turn to God, whatever our beliefs, or lack of them. It is interesting that when all else fails we make our pleas to a higher being, something or someone considered to be all powerful that can solve our problems. 

As a recent convert to Christianity I find the whole concept of belief and worship an interesting one, both on an emotional and a practical level.

Whilst church attendance continues to be in decline, borne out by the low numbers at most services, the clergy are forever seeking new ways to engage with the community, particularly its younger members, by offering a range of activities to actively encourage inclusion. Many preachers, instead of lecturing their audience from the pulpit now make an effort to really engage with the congregation, often using classic training techniques and props to help make their point.  

Despite this decline in regular worship, where at the majority of services the congregation is largely made up of women over retirement age, it is interesting that when faced with key events in our lives, birth, marriage, death, many people still choose to mark the occasion with a church service.

No wonder our local vicars are tearing their hair out; Aside from key liturgical events such as Christmas or Easter most of us never darken the doors of our local church. On the other hand, we always expect it to be there, ready and waiting, for when we choose to use it.

This raises the issue of the cost of maintaining these buildings that remain empty and unused for much of the time. The fact that certainly nour small towns and villages these are largely premises that are hundreds of years old and therefore listed adds to the burden. The fact is we cannot have it both ways.

The church itself has made some attempt to diversify, looking at ways to make better use of the space by opening their doors to welcome the public at large and to generate income by holding coffee mornings, fund raising events, concerts and village fetes. 

One often forgotten consideration, and one not to be overlooked for those seeking planning permission, particularly in smaller remote locations, is that the presence of a church or place of worship is considered an amenity, and in this context it is especially useful when trying to persuade the decision makers to grant approval.

If we choose not to support our local churches we will continue to lose them, driving yet another nail into the coffin of the sustainability of our village communities.

Keeping councillors on their toes

As a Somerset County Councillor it is always interesting to attend a meeting of the full council every few months, if for no other reason than to remember to remove my nail scissors before attempting to pass security and gain admittance to Shire Hall, where the meetings are usually held.

Aside from my fellow county councillors, who are under obligation to be present, I do enjoy witnessing the passion and enthusiasm of those members of the public who choose to give up their time to pose questions on a wide range of issues, or petition us in relation to a specific cause. Very often the level of research they carry out in order to prove their point and influence decisions would put many of us to shame.

In recent months the key focus has been on highways, frequently related to the seemingly unbalanced relationship between developers and the local community, where it is felt that developers often have the upper hand. There are no easy solutions and any development will invariably cause inconvenience and disruption to some but the public do expect some relevant input from such statutory bodies in helping to assess the pros and cons of an application.  

On my way into Shire Hall I always try to engage with those bearing banners and placards. They have a point of view which I may not always agree with but I do defend their right to express it; unlike many other countries, we are after all a democracy.

On one particular occasion there were pleas to save out buses, where many small communities in recent years have seen a reduction or a complete cessation of the services they had previously enjoyed. There is the argument, particularly in these stringent financial times, that tax payers’ money should not be used to prop up unviable commercial services. 

On the other hand, many of those who choose to live in rural areas made their decision to do so at a time when they had every expectation that public transport would be available. They now find themselves isolated, even to the extent that they have no access to essential services. Some may be of the opinion that the clear option is to move into town, where access to services is not a problem. However, by forcing people to do this puts at risk the continued sustainability of the small village communities which make up much of the unique character which residents of our county find so attractive as a place to live and visit.

One solution put forward to me was that if the wherewithal was found to increase, rather than decrease, our bus services, then more people would use them, creating more income, therefore making the service more viable. This is an interesting thought but sadly on the few occasions I have travelled by bus recently I was the only fare paying passenger.

One other point raised was the issue of graffiti on public buildings. Its removal is costly and there is an argument that it is not the best use of public funds where such anti-social behaviour exists. One solution might be to consider following the example of Marseilles, and even Belfast, where graffiti has become an art form, providing a brightly coloured backdrop to our daily lives.

In the meantime I am grateful for the continued vigilance shown by members of the public which ensures that our elected representatives are kept on their toes.