FOMV

This week, I could talk about the new compost bins built from pallets and explain the specific layering of cardboard, grass cuttings, leaf litter and chicken manure. However, I need to encourage you make it to the end of the blog, and I have something far more interesting to discuss.

This Thursday it was Bonfire night and for the days prior the lads of the estate worked day-long to erect the bonfire of all bonfires. Often placing themselves as king-of-the-castle, lads would shout down directions to achieve the perfect cone shape with the never-ending wood supply. Working on my boring compost, the wooden pile grew each time I passed.

Anticipation replaced the disappearing sun as the word spread that 6pm would mean the beginning of the greatest Bonfire of a Beswick generation. More wood was desperately piled onto the now five-meter structure right up until it was finally lit. After discovering a local lad didn’t know of Mr Fawkes a last-minute effigy was made from old clothes stuffed with grass from the allotment and a laughable winking emoji pillow made a great face. The smug wink wouldn’t last too long.

Flames reached ten meters up into the air, the fireworks went higher. The heat produced was immense, gradually pushing the community further away as it became too much for exposed skin. My back against a house on Aden Close, here I got a sense of what even a quintessentially British holiday can achieve for community cohesion and collaboration. All of Britain came to see, with joy now on everyone’s face as we marvelled at the turn out, older generations reminisced saying the shear spectacle hadn’t been seen on the estate for a generation.

Whilst the bonfire and fireworks were beautiful, just as beautiful was the fantastic, inclusive display of Britishness. Typically confused and lost behind cheap flags, exploitative miseducation and thuggery, the event curated by the lads of the estate was selflessly done for the diverse and resilient community which helped and continues to raise them.

See you about,

Alex, FOMV