Involvement in local community

[Mich the Tester]

I've never done anything I have to admit. It's easy to blame the transitory nature of contracting and moving around and so but the reality is I'm lazy and don't like people very much. The missus has her fingers in all sorts of pies though, she is good like that.

Ah yes, but the transitory nature of contracting, or indeed any job that requires lots of business travel, makes it difficult to commit to regular evenings over a longer time period. It's something I understand some political parties are worried about, in terms of finding good quality candidates for local councils.

[Pondlife]

Top effort everyone. All food for thought. Thx.

[vetran]

there are plenty of things you can do occasionally with little commitment.

Food Banks, canal / river clearances, village fetes, school fetes or activities (yes I know my kids are at the school but its the same ten people out of potentially 2000 parents), Churchyard tidy up. Guest speaker at Scouts / Guides/ St John's.

all pretty much don't require a lot of time unless you are organising them. They tend to be body on the ground type stuff.

And yes all of the above.

[MyUserName]

I teach medieval combat (I might have mentioned it once or twice).
I have to find time to do one more course to become a qualified street pastor.
I am in the church choir.
I used to play softball for Wales and was a qualified umpire.
I have also run a couple of facebook fitness groups.

[northernladuk]

Do you have a local Rotary Club? They appear to do some good work for communities if you can stand the politics. If you can't then stay away from any allotment groups!!!

I live in a pretty small out of the way town so have always been pretty eager to do something like this but just don't have the time.

[d000hg]

+1 for FoodBank/FoodCycle type organisations. No religious connotations if such things put you off, just trying to help those in genuine need.

[northernladuk]

Run a clothing collection service? Can ebay the designer stuff and sell the rest by weight. Sorted.

[gricerboy]

Do you have a local Rotary Club? They appear to do some good work for communities if you can stand the politics.

+1 to this. I have spent the past 5 years bending over backwards to ingratiate myself with my local group by way of rubbing shoulders with its great and good at cheese and wine parties, bridge evenings and suchlike. My latest ruse sees me taking to the dedan to learn the sport of real tennis of which our group leader is an afficcionado.

When I say learn, I mean learn the rules and etiquette not develop any degree of aplomb since my intention is to graciously lose to Lt Col Ashton Wicket as time honoured tradition demands.

I'm getting there! Very much in the outer circle and very much a prospect. At least I can't say they don't like the cut of my jib!

[Mich the Tester]

+1 to this. I have spent the past 5 years bending over backwards to ingratiate myself with my local group by way of rubbing shoulders with its great and good at cheese and wine parties, bridge evenings and suchlike.

Maybe they'd rather you bend over forwards?

[xoggoth]

Do footpath inspections and maintenance and on the police search team. Tried helping out at local tourist place last year but gave it up, too much like working in a shop.