Falmouth’s recently appointed mayor, Cllr Kirstie Edwards, is keen to create positive change in the town, with a focus on young people, mental health and disability support.
It’s no secret that Cornwall has its issues to face, and while some fantastic things are being done to support its different communities, there are some groups that are at risk of ‘being left behind’, according to Cllr Edwards, who is keen to address this in Falmouth.
Cllr Edwards, who admits the last few months have been ‘a bit of a rollercoaster’, has been an integral member of Falmouth’s community since moving to the town in 1996, but it hasn’t always been easy. Living with a chronic illness called still’s disease, which is an arthritic autoimmune condition, she knows the true extent of the social issues invisible disabilities can cause, including isolation. She said: “I was stuck in bed for about three years because of my illness; I lost my job, my marriage, my relationships. I found that writing about my experiences helped me to process what was happening.
"At the time, I felt very disconnected from my community and as a result I was very anxious to get out and about, so I started listening to podcasts through my headphones which helped me to leave the house.”
Cllr Edwards’ love of the ocean soon gave her an idea to look after her local beaches as a way to find some solace, as well as getting outside of the four walls of her home and meeting like minded people. “I thought to myself, why don’t I hold a beach clean?” she continued. “It was great; I even made flapjacks and cookies. It really gave me a sense of purpose.”
The beach cleans soon became a regular occurrence, and it was during a clean at Perranporth, where she collected a 40-50 metres worth of rubbish, that she had the overwhelming urge to do more. She contacted Surfers Against Sewage, who told her about their Plastic Free Coastlines project and that they were looking for someone to lead this in Falmouth.
“It just went bonkers,” she said.“Sometimes it’s the things you do by accident that change everything. I came together with a group of people - half were students, plus a few local people - and we discussed how we could get this off the ground. It was then that I started my conversations with the town council, local businesses and schools, plus Blue Planet was bringing ocean environment issues to the surface.”
It was around this time that the next town council elections were about to take place, and she had been encouraged to be ‘involved in decisions inside, rather than outside of the room’. After being elected, she was soon promoted to deputy mayor and served for two years before her appointment as mayor in May.
Having experienced domestic and sexual abuse in the past, she is using these experiences to support other women and to push for positive male role models for young men, with a project in the pipeline for this. Cllr Edwards also wants to advocate for the people who might slip through the net - particularly the younger generation, plus local families and children who have had many experiences with the NHS, ensuring local families' voices are heard.
Three of her own children are neurodiverse and have suffered with their mental health as a result, so she understands the lack of support for families and children with these experiences. She has helped to form support groups, working with organisations such as the Dracaena Centre to get early intervention and youth groups put in place. She said: “I want to try and take all the experiences I’ve had in life, and make positive changes to people in the town.
“I’m all about positive role models. If you have positive role models that can show young people a path that is proactive, then most will take that path. Without this, they can fall through the cracks and get into anti-social behaviour.”
Cllr Edwards is aware that the local area has lost many important spaces for young people to thrive in, and has been working towards a new skatepark, which is likely to start construction in December/January, plus two basketball projects in the town. She also works closely with the Kimberley Park Lodge project, a haven for creatives.
In addition to her work with young people, Cllr Edwards has also managed to have new radar key toilets installed around Falmouth, making trips into town more accessible and pleasant for people with disabilities or chronic illnesses.
She added: “We’re trying to be really accessible as a council, and part of that means making myself accessible, so I’ll go into parks and chat to the children there, and I’ll go into schools. People are falling through the cracks that shouldn’t be, and they’re mostly young people. I want them to know that I see them and care about what they think.”
For more information about Cllr Edwards, and Falmouth Town Council, visit www.falmouthtowncouncil.co.uk
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