Merry Christmas

Well…

That was a year, eh. It didn’t exactly go as expected for any of us! This time last year I was anticipating the final run of the Warwickshire Bytes Project, and we did indeed finish it, with plenty of contributions off the back of it. We had our digital festival in early March, to great acclaim if I may say so myself.

Then lockdown hit…

On a website level, this was when Our Warwickshire came into its own. With people restricted in what they could do, our contributions and page views have shot through the roof. This has meant our expectations for the coming year are high, so don’t let up on the contributions! I must apologise if we haven’t got to your yet rest assured, we will!

In these trying times, I must shout out my appreciation for the support I’ve had. In particular Rowan, Alex, Anne, Christine, and Bronwen – work colleagues and volunteers who’ve all helped keep this ticking over. Of course the list isn’t restricted to them either. Anybody who has crossed my path this year, I can only thank you for your support in whatever form.

A personal digression

Now mostly, whenever I write these blogs, they talk about Our Warwickshire. On a personal level this has been a year that really didn’t go to plan. May was supposed to be when I got married and, well… it didn’t happen due to Coronavirus. It’s safe to say that was a trying time. Eventually, we got married in September in a somewhat smaller ceremony than anticipated (just parents!) but… I’m glad we did. In a difficult year, that day stands out and will stand out as a ray of sunshine – a day that means 2020, to me at least, has had something worth waiting for. Our picture has been contributed to the local history groups’ record of the pandemic, so at some stage in the distant future, maybe I’ll make an appearance on their equivalent of Our Warwickshire, whatever that may be.

Escape in nostalgia

It’s been a trying year for many, and will continue to be, but I hope that Our Warwickshire offers some escape, some consolation, some distraction among it all. There’s something to be said for looking back to look forward, and hopefully Covid times are just a pin prick on history’s rich tapestry.

I hope that your Christmas goes as well as it can, and my hopes and thoughts go out to you all. It goes without saying, that your support really is appreciated.