Together we can make a bright future

HERE Comes The Sun by the Beatles. It’s a song that looks to the future, a new future lit by the light and warmth of the sun, after the cold, hard, dark days that have gone before. It’s a song of hope.

The last 12 months have been of a scale and experience that none of us could ever have imagined. Across our country, across Gloucestershire, across Cheltenham, the pandemic has affected every life, every age group and every kind of businesses. For many of us, life will never be the same again.

We have come through the worst and now face a new future. Truth be told, no one knows how that future is going to develop. Where we will be in six, nine, 12 months is anyone’s guess!

Will we work from home? Will there be offices? Can we even go out for a pint? What about our children’s schooling?

Our future can be what we make it, if we are swift enough, flexible enough and able to see beyond the immediate horizon. Able to build in the potential of our young people.

So, what might that mean for Cheltenham? How are we, together with our colleagues from a range of organisations, businesses, education, culture and community, beginning to look to the future?

Cheltenham has shown a remarkable sense of community over the last year, a real sense of being together. Using that and building from it will be key to our success.

Our new National Cyber Centre, new affordable homes, culture, sport, new business opportunities will give all Cheltonians real opportunity but, by themselves, they won’t create the town we can be.

Why not? Because none of that matters without the support, determination and commitment of our friends, neighbours, colleagues, families, of all those who live or work in Cheltenham.

Working together, building together, creating new potential together is what we will be doing.

That will mean new jobs, training, investment and belief that Cheltenham can do it.

“Sun, sun, sun, here it comes.” Our town, our people, together will make a difference!