If you listen to the Londoncentric media you would think that this is a nation totally divided and on the brink of collapse. But if you talk to the people of Doncaster you will find that we’re made of stronger, better, warmer stuff than that.
There have been a few ugly scenes locally, and anyone who attacks a person based on prejudice of any kind is absolute scum in my book, but Doncaster has seen nowhere near the rise in hate crimes which have been reported nationally.
As I’ve posted elsewhere the people I personally have spoken to about their leave vote have had very diverse reasons for making their choice. Mostly they seem to reflect feelings of dis-empowerment, distrust (in politics) and genuine concern for future of their children regarding an already strained local infrastructure. I was not a Leaver, but I do not believe for a second that the 104,260 Doncastrians who voted to leave did so out of the malice, misguidance or ignorance which some people are accusing them of.
One of the things we’re repeatedly told by people who have just moved to Donny, or who have moved away and come back, is how friendly the people and communities are. There’s an openness and feeling of community which is all too rare in this day and age. People often say that they feel that they can do their own thing without being judged. They also love the ‘Donny Banter’.
At Doncopolitan we feel that this banter offers an incredible opportunity to get people together simply to talk, share a cuppa and enjoy each other’s company. Talking is the most important thing we can do, but these days there doesn’t seem to be too many opportunities to simply come together and talk. How can we call it a ‘democracy’ if we have no spaces for debate?
In our own small way, one street and one tea pot at a time -the Doncopolitan wants to create those spaces. No hidden agendas. No preaching. No teaching. No political opportunism. And no point to prove other than people, when interacting at a human-scale, are generally friendly, socially minded and tolerant.
This Thursday (July 7th) friends of the Doncopolitan will be involved in a couple of events which we hope will be the start of a string of diverse projects designed to get people together for some good old fashioned jaw-jiving. Please join us…
In the morning we will be taking part in a litter pick which will also pave the way to creating a guerrilla garden on an abandoned plot of land in the Nether Hall region which the landlord has given us permission to develop into a permaculture garden. In the long run we hope this garden will also become one of those spaces for debate. If you’re free and would like to take part – Rachel has already promised to make the teas! – then meet us outside the Doncopolitan Studio (Copley Rd Project, 83 Copley Rd, DN1 2QP) at 9:30am.