More on Making Harlow Happy

Back in early and mid-December I wrote to my local papers to ask the question “What would make Harlow happy?”. The letter didn’t appear. Nonetheless, I wrote to them again last week after some widely reported anti-social activity that led to the damage of more than fifty vehicles and was the subject of a lot of depressing editorial. The following letter was printed in my local papers this week.

Before and after the New Year, our newspapers seem to have been dominated by reports of vandalism, violence and anti-social activities in Harlow. All to a backdrop of continual squabbling of local politicians. I’ve even read that Harlow has been labelled as Grief City. Only two weeks in, is it already time to give up hope and just batten down the hatches?

 

The people who live, study and work here have talent, imagination and resolve. So do many of our officials. Every week, tucked away on the inside pages, are stories of innovation, community spirit and individual achievement. Unfortunately, somewhere in the daily grind of living in this town, it all seems to leak away.

 

Of course, many of the issues we face are complex. Some will take years to work out and others may never be resolved to everyone’s satisfaction. One issue is make-or-break and needs immediate attention. It concerns hope in our future.

 

People get involved in their neighbourhoods and work their fingers to the bone to maintain their families, homes and lives: but they find it harder when they believe that their community has failed them. We need to believe that our community is willing to protect and support our efforts. Citizens of all ages, businesses and social enterprises all need to believe that there is a commitment before they continue to spend their resources and stake their futures in Harlow.

 

The BBC recently showed Making Slough Happy. The people who took part in the project all reported a big increase in their level of happiness and how satisfied they were with their lives. So, is it time we asked ourselves, “Can we make Harlow happy”? It’s a serious question. Our level of happiness affects our health and that of the people around us. Happiness even contributes to our life expectancy.

 

How can we use our creativity and energy to restore hope to Harlow? How can we pool our resources? Who can make Harlow happy; whose responsibility is it? How much difference can we make? What can we do to make Harlow Happy?

 

Taking our pleasures sadly is a very british phenomenon but happiness is essential to individual and community well-being. Effective solutions can typically only come from the communities in which they are to be implemented but individuals and businesses that make up those communities must feel supported by them. It will be interesting to see whether the letter provokes any correspondence or ideas.

Copyright 2006, Tony Plant Happystance Project