Town communities/city communities

I had a day out to Lewes in Suffolk today, seeing lambs in the fields on the way down by train (country in the country, rather than country in the city!).

I went to take in a doll and two teddy bears to be cleaned and mended at the shop in the high street - www.suepearson.co.uk. It seems White Ted will emerge much cleaner than he is now, but not his original white. So he is probably destined for the bin when I die, but I'll enjoy him in his improved state in the meantime. Ugly (my father's choice of name reflecting his opinion of his looks and I, too young to know the meaning of the word, liked the sound of it) similarly will be much improved but not great. So not really being green, as I wouldn't be buying replacements, but it has been something I've been meaning to do for a while. And I am helping local craftspeople, even if not local to me!

It was interesting to see the number of notices for local events everywhere, several shops would have half a dozen or more. Here in Leyton there is just a notice or two in the newsagent, and the bookshop in the mall in Walthamstow High Street has a few, but there is not that feel of local community activity here in the city that I sensed in Lewes.