For me, Community Spirit is the glue that often keeps our often terrific, and sometimes tested town together.
Thanks to the kind and compassionate way we come together to support our fellow Barrians and their families at times of trouble.
These fabulous fundraisers have helped lead our local families through their darkest hours.
Credit to our always energetic activists who move quickly to campaign, build bridges, right wrongs, and fight for Barry to be the thriving town it deserves.
Respect to those who campaign tirelessly on wider social issues – raising awareness, changing hearts and minds and inviting us on their journey.
Finally, thanks to those who collectively come together to make tough times more bearable.
Those dark days of the pesky Pandemic were made a little bit easier by you.
Blogging, believe it or not is just one of the ways to do this.
Who doesn’t love a good old read on a lazy Sunday morning? Not me for a start, and that’s why I have enlisted a little help from my friends to bring you a collection of blogs from some very talented writers.
All of whom are, local to are town, and around, and who, in my view, can entertain, amuse, inform, upset and educate, whenever the mood takes them.
Some are already running their own blogs, magazines, or hyperlocals. Some are working in press and pr, whilst others are newspaper, radio or broadcast journalists. There’s also those who are freelancers, specialist writers, or have a day job completely unrelated.
One thing they absolutely all have in common, apart from being my fabulous friends, is that they can write with style.
As you probably know, blogging, comes from the term to blog which in itself is short for ‘weblog’ and refers to an online journal.
Blogs began as personal mini sites that people used to record their opinions, stories, and other writings as well as photos and videos.
As the web, and social media, has grown and changed, blogs have gained more recognition and merit – and why not.
For me, they can be everything from flippant, funny. educating, entertaining, to sombre, serious, informative and incisive.
They can also be a great force for change, and are ideal for campaigning and spreading the word about some concerning or controversial issue
Then there’s the polemic, the outrageous, the thought provoking, and those that offer a very different point of view from our own.
But all are designed, like every piece of writing, to make us feel something – if music is what feelings sounds like, then words are what these emotions look like on a page.
A great blogger knows instinctively what to blog about, and to what audience. They add value, are original, interesting, authentic, honest and transparent.
Sound like anyone you know?
Well, there’s plenty more where that came from – and then some.
Sundays will see my guest bloggers leap out of the page with a 600 to 800 word piece of perfectly crafted prose written just for you.
There will also be the usual bio at the end for you to find out more, if you like what you read of course.
Here is your editorial chance to share your passions, promote your products, make a difference, have a laugh, play devil’s advocate, or change the world…one blog at a time.
Up for it?
I’m game if you are.
Speak soon.
Mrs SVJ
The Voice of Our Community
Sue Vincent-Jones, writing as Mrs SVJ, is a Barry born journalist, editor, and communications specialist. She blogs about Barry – and her life in the wider world, through the eyes of a, quirky and queer, local girl done good.
Guest Blogs highlights our blogging community and the many other talented writers, journos and poets, we have in our town, and around – all with a tasty tale to tell.
Mrs SVJ, Barry’s Boldest Blogger, can be contacted here.