It’s the hope that keeps us here

On my journey to our shared workspace Creative Works Space there is a BUILDHOLLYWOOD collaboration with the artist Mark Titchner. It went up earlier this year and is hard to ignore, especially against the grey skies that seem to have been an almost constant feature of 2025.

It is hard to remain optimistic with all that is happening in the world, especially when the pendulum of change seems to be swinging with such momentum against the values and causes we care about and have worked on for many years.

I wrote last year about trying to find purpose and balancing my energy between the big systemic issues I care about and what I can impact in my community. This is hard to navigate but it is important to understand what I can control and where I can use my time and attention to make the world just a little bit better.

Focusing our attention on local work, with impacts we can more immediately see and feel, gives us the energy to keep pushing for the bigger changes we want to see in the world. It is what I lean into when I’m feeling less hopeful. I’m writing a bid today to get £500 to support a community garden at the front of Ferry Lane Primary. It’s not going to change the world but it is enough for now.

It was the same when I managed people in a local authority. It can be frustrating when you can’t impact a large organisation in the ways you want to but as a manager, you always have the power and capacity to support and empower the people in your team — the local work. I like to think I did that (most of the time!) and the impact on the people around me was some of my most impactful work. It also helps to spread hope.

I’d love to know what else is helping people to feel hopeful at the moment.

For me info on the poster you can read about it here: https://www.buildhollywood.co.uk/features/new-year-new-poster-collaboration-with-artist-mark-titchner-its-the-hope-that-keeps-us-here/