Forays along the paths and through the trees have led to intriguing conversations around the importance of the green spaces in Burnley to the town's people, for dog walking, pushing crying babies in pushchairs until they settle, exercise, attending concerts, getting away from things. I have noticed the pride and care people take in their gardens here, the acid soil allowing plants such as rhododendron, azalea and pieris to flourish.
All this has set me wondering what it is to belong. Whatever life throws at you, being a part of something can make things bearable - what is it that makes a place home, and comfortable, what do people do to create the strong bonds that I am experiencing when I meet the people of Burnley? Is it landscape, geography, community, openness, neighbourliness, care? Or is it genetic, a family trait passed on from generation to generation, a way of life?
Caroline
