The Wardman Wire

Pleasley Hill is a small community near Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. Historically it has been “ignored” (that is probably the best word).

Recently one members of the community, Mark Jones, started using a simple Wordpress.com blog called “Plight of Pleasley Hill” to draw attention to the community’s need.

The first post, at the end of May, was a “Call for a New Community Group in Pleasley Hill “.

Pleasley Hill is often looked down upon as a poor, unsightly area. A place of drugs, anti-social behaviour, poverty and depression. In the 10 years I have lived here, I have experienced many negative reactions when I have told people where I live. The council are clearly embarrassed by the area, as frankly they should be. As any landlord should that lets his property fall in to the state of disrepair that this area has.

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As I walk around this area, I do see a community of people. People whose children play together. People who donate to each other, and people who share their skills and their labour when their neighbours need a hand. Yes there are divisions in our own community. But when we stop and think, we are united by so much. When I walk out my door, people are friendly, and talkative. What is lacking in Pleasley Hill is not community, but organisation. It is organisation that has brought about change for communities throughout history. It is organisation that makes authority listen. And it is organisation that has freed people throughout history.

An organised community has the strength to hold its council to account. The ability to enact change through pressure. And it has the power, if it so chooses to reject the authority of the council, and take control of its own future.

This newsletter is about addressing these issues. It is a call to all the people of Pleasley Hill to put aside any differences we may have, and to work together to create a future for ourselves. A future for Pleasley Hill in which we have a say. A future for ourselves in a time when the future we were promised is so uncertain.

This is a call for the formation of a group with the ability to shape the future of Pleasley Hill. Founded on the principles of shared circumstance and mutual aid. Between us we have the skills, adaptability and resources to set whatever target we want for our selves. And by acting in solidarity and union we have the ability to make our targets a reality.

We have a local “Residents Association” here started some years ago by people wanting to “do things”, and now we have a “Residents Association” Local Councillor.

Pleasley Hill have already achieved several basic things – a community meeting, a newsletter, some coverage in the local paper for their issues.

The blog is worth a read to see what one smal group of people are doing from the grassroots.

These are initiatives that can die easily, and I wish them success in the aim to build a non-partisan community organisation.