Christmas – yes, there is no escape, even here – is looming, and with it the message that we should think of those less fortunate than ourselves.
Not that Notts needs telling: we are a people who for centuries have strived to help others and combat injustice. That whole ‘take from the rich to give to the poor’ thing? One of ours, and although the green-decked Robin is more legend than literal, our ethos has always been in challenging power where and when it attacks the common man and woman. Lord Byron, raging in defence of the Luddites; Susannah Wright defying the authorities to set up her radical bookshop; DH Lawrence, kicking against the stifling repression of moral hypocrisy.
We’re currently looking for the next generation of young writers who have something to say. Our MyVoice competition, open to all residents of Notts aged between 10-25, is looking for fresh voices to tell us about life in the 21st Century, with great prizes on offer for the winner: as well as the chance to become a published writer.
To keep you inspired over the Christmas, we’re doing the Twelve Days of Christmas but without all those birds, rings and strange people performing unlikely activities. In their place, books, writers and events that show that here in Notts, we don’t have to wait until Christmas to care -it’s what makes us who we are.
Our first article will go online tomorrow (Friday 13th December).