thanks for starting this thread in praise of all that's positive about Whaley Bridge.
It's all too easy ( when you get to a certain chronology ) to have a grump about almost everything in our lives. Choosing your 'home turf' to moan about is a soft target; it can't defend itself, for one.....
So a thread dedicated to the virtues of this humble village is well overdue.
I'm Whaley born & bred, but am not of local stock. That means I'm not in the 'kick one and they all limp' set of families here, yet my family is one of the most well known here, because we belong.
I love the fact that generations of families have kept this village a secure and safe network. - a framework - which supports and upholds a way of life which is sadly lacking nowadays - not just in cities but in this ever dissipating society where close family and friend bonds cease to exist due mainly to 'progress'.
I never appreciated this village until I left it and went to live abroad and upon return lived 'abroad' again in Dove Holes ( joke!) .
I love all the characters we have and dearly miss the characters we've lost, untimely aswell as consequentially. I listen patiently to old folk going through their family connections, weaving continually the web of 'belonging' to somewhere.. meaning something to people.
You just don't get that in the anonimity of big towns and cities.
We have the Peak District National Park on our doorstep - we need to capitalise more on that fact.
We have the beginning of a canal right in the centre of our village.. we definitely should be promoting and capiltalising on that !
We have the bright lights, big city near enough to be just far away enough - and the quality of life and peace of mind to be able to enjoy that immensely.
Crime is is almost non-existent : it's never not going to be there, but compared to only a few miles down the A6 there is nothing to be worried about.
As a woman you can freely walk home at 2am and not feel in the least bit threatened.
As an 'incomer' or just a visitor, you can be assured that you aren't going to get accosted or stared at just because you're an unfamiliar face. I've spoken to people in the pubs who have travelled up from Manchester, are stopping by after being on a stag-do at the dogs in Belle Vue, or similar things, who spend time in Whaley knowing that it's s safe friendly village.
Would we be any different if it weren't for the positive input by non-born and breds? definitely ! Without the fresh takes, the new ways, the new-blood we would have stagnated a long time ago. Our industries have gone and along with it a way of life which sustained this village for many decades.
Change is inevitable - whatever form that takes.. but the core framework also has to be there to accomodate those changes. There are many in this village who fit into both camps, so I am reassured that we aren't in inevitable decline - it's not all doom and gloom.
So yes.. Whaley is a TOP place to live - we are the envy of many .. we should indeed brag that we live here.
I know I do !
