Becoming Unbound - East Haven Together

So we just heard Wendy and, uh, Gerry's story there, um, but I was really struck by, I guess, how some of the issues they face are so specific.

They're so detailed.

They're so local and about the, the, the climate challenge that's right at their doorstep, if, if that makes sense.

I think, um, the thing, the thing that really kinda strikes me is the fact that the community took control.

Um, you know, they've described this quite an overwhelming threat.

There's, there's a lot of moving parts to it.

You know, they have to s- speak to so many people and involve so many people in the solutions.

Um, you know, they're talking about landowners, local authorities, farmers, Network Rail, the fire service, emergency responders.

You know, it's all so complex.

Um, and yeah, it just, it feels like such a, such a big thing to take on as a community.

Yeah, for sure.

And it makes me think about, I suppose, of having to take on such a, a big challenge and the kinda quiet, almost unseen impact of having to do so, of having to deal with what is effectively a global issue but also one that's incredibly localized.

And thinking about the, the kinda slow drip feed of anxiety that comes from that, of not feeling secure in, in your own locale, of not being able to know that your house is gonna be there the morning after a storm, and how that compounds over the course of a broader community and, and how people, I think in this case, have really fantastically come together to, to tackle that challenge.

Um, but that we shouldn't maybe forget that that's a, that's a really difficult thing to be dealing with day to day and then to have to bring together and act in a way that's, that is collective and make sure that the whole community's involved as part of that response as well.

Yeah, you're absolutely right.

I think that's something that kinda stays with you as well is, like, the emotional impact on the community of having to deal with climate impacts, especially when they were talking about the, the pump under the railway bridge.

You know, that's a solution, but then it's creating another annoyance.

Imagine having to listen to that pump going 24/7.

You know, that, that would [laughs] really do your head in.

You know, that must have, like, quite an impact on the people living near that.

And okay, it's a solution.

It's not, it's not really, it's not really a great outcome.

And I suppose those kind of impacts, those kinda small day-to-day impacts are something that I was re- re- reflecting on as well listening to their story and how that will compound over time in terms of there's having to deal with maintaining the pump but also the dune collapse.

And all of these things compound into actually creating what is, um, lots of small issues it felt like but brought together, compounding into something that is, uh, obviously a wider issue.

And h- having to relate those two things, that bigger sense of crisis that people live in with the day-to-day, "Oh no, I can't get to where I need to be [laughs] because there's been a storm," or whatever the, the impact is.