What do you do to be involved in the community?

People often (wrongly) assume community involvement has to mean standing on a stage in front of the local press with a giant cheque, organising massive events, or constantly shouting about “making a difference.”

Truth is, I think it usually starts much smaller than that.

For me, one of the biggest things I try to do is support local businesses whenever I can. Independent cafés, market traders, small shops, local creatives — the people who put their heart and soul into what they do. 

Places with character. Places with stories. The sort of places that still remember your name when you walk through the door. That sense of community and connection is something I value deeply, and it’s something I’ve written about before when talking about places like the market in Totnes and the small family-run cafe culture I love so much. 

I shop local because I genuinely believe communities survive through the people willing to invest back into them.

And because I have a platform through my writing and social media, I also try to publicly promote local businesses, markets, events, and good people doing good things. Sometimes all it takes is sharing a post, recommending somewhere to others, or encouraging people to support independent traders instead of automatically heading to the big chains. Small gestures matter more than people realise.

The other side of my community involvement is a little quieter.

I’m a member of a fraternal organisation — Freemasonry — and while it’s often misunderstood, one of the biggest parts of it is charity and supporting local causes. Over the years, we’ve helped raise money for community groups, local charities, and people who simply needed a hand when life became difficult. 

It isn’t something I talk about constantly, because I’ve never believed charity should be performative, but it’s something I’m proud to be part of. The sense of brotherhood, mutual support, and community responsibility genuinely means a lot to me.

At the end of the day, community involvement doesn’t always have to be loud.

Sometimes it’s supporting the local café instead of the (tax avoiding) multinational.

Sometimes it’s sharing someone’s business page because you know they’re struggling.

Sometimes it’s quietly raising money behind the scenes for people who need it most.

And sometimes it’s simply showing up consistently for the place and people around you.

That’s enough.

Stay Safe

Bc