Creating a positive future for Peterborough

The past: 902 years admiring our beautiful cathedral (with ongoing events this month from Burns Night to Katharine of Aragon); 479 years being a proud city (and Year 1 as Fairtrade City); 53 years as a New Town, enjoying the Peterborough Development Corporation’s legacy of homes and jobs - and our green spaces and Nene Park – endowed for our leisure and wellbeing, and for biodiversity.

Last year, the climate emergency suddenly felt less distant and remote, with predictions that sea levels will rise to flood The Wash from Boston to King’s Lynn, putting Peterborough effectively on the coast by 2050. A positive challenge to inspire us to change our lifestyles and demand investment in greener infrastructure from electric vehicles to a light rail network, and investment in cycling and walking. Cleaner air today, and less chance of wet feet tomorrow.

The present: with successive central government funding cuts, our schools, NHS and city council have less money every year. It’s easy to be negative as they struggle to draw up budgets and have to reduce services, putting more pressure on hardworking staff and reducing the support they can provide for people who need it most. There’s less money for charities as well, with many losing EU grants too.

Yet 18,000 people enjoyed Vivacity’s Beauty and the Beast panto this Christmas - and they gave over £4,000 in donations, helping 500 people who’d suffered a stroke or cancer benefit from rehabilitation classes at Vivacity fitness centres. The winter night shelter for rough sleepers is growing, as more volunteers provide more weeks accommodation and more chances for homeless people to move off the streets permanently.

This month, Peterborough people and places have attracted national recognition for service and diversity. Dr Modha gained a New Year’s Honour for her innovative GP surgery at Thistlemoor. Kerry Devine captured a conversation between Richard and Shahaid at the Iqbal Centre for Radio Cambridgeshire, which was aired on Radio 4’s Listening Project.

The future: As Brexit approaches, with many in Peterborough I’m maintaining international links and loving our diversity here. Later this month, I’m helping plan Fairtrade Fortnight, building on our new Fairtrade City status.

We’re connecting our choices of food and other stuff we buy to farmers and producers. It’s not charity, it’s making sure they get paid fairly and protect the environment. Contact me (Beki Sellick on Facebook) to join us.

And PARCA (Peterborough Asylum and Refugee Community Association) the hub for asylum seekers, refugees and people in need is celebrating with an Integration event on Friday (17th). PARCA is a positive Peterborough place, championing social inclusion, celebrating diversity, encouraging integration, and creating an empowering environment where personal development can flourish.

But, current Brexit legislation may not guarantee future refugees welcome and the government is threatening to divert international aid, siphoning it off for short term business benefit rather than long term poverty reduction, risking creating more refugees. I hope the caring majority of people will stand up to celebrate local diversity, and act in our real self-interests for the good of the planet and all people.