Our journey is not finished but we have so much to be thankful for.
There is so many people that we need to thank for their support this year. So many wonderful and selfless people & organisations supported us on our journey to become a housing co-operative. They shared their passion with us and taught us the co-op values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity, and solidarity.
You know who you are!
People who share with us their legal knowledge and years of experience in housing law. They gave us confidence to fight the corporate bullies and gave us hope that justice can be done. That despite grey areas of the housing law no tenant, no licensee and no guardian should be living in unlicensed unheated and disrepaired buildings.
They also gave us the very important perspective of a different view. When you are being told that your voice doesn’t matter and you should just get on with it or ‘get on your bike’ if you don’t like it. This can be spirit breaking. And this is when you need someone with set of fresh eyes to say: hang on, something doesn’t look right here. And we are so blessed that those people came to our lives.
Finally this year was a massive lesson on UK democracy. A massive learning curve on how to exercise our civil rights. From Croydon Council structures, departments, officers to Croydon councillors whom so many helped us. From our MP to members of House of Lords and wonderful members of London Assembly.
Lastly a big thank you to all our friends who are quite likely as tired of this whole situation as we are. Nevertheless they still support us even just by offering to listen. We love them so much!
This year has been challenging to everyone on so many levels and our story though it might be unique in some aspects it is not by far isolated incident. So we appreciate how much we have: roof over our heads, enough food, sense that we are fighting for the right cause, that maybe this will help other guardians, other co-ops. And most of all we have each other – our extended co-op family and this is a definitely a bonding experience that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.
Thank you for being a witness to our story.
Have a merry & safe Christmas break!