Canvassing: Could be my natural space!

ruthcwells

Aug 1

It's rare that anyone finds a job or profession that perfectly suits their natural talent, personality, experience and skill. My daughter has been volunteering with horses for the last year and I have been envious of her finding her natural space so young. She looks happy, in charge, confident, and exactly where she should be.

I have worked in many roles in publishing and outside the sector. These jobs were in Sales, Account Management, Customer Service, Project Management, Product Management, Technology Development, and Operations (including running a books warehouse!). I've enjoyed many aspects of many of them and love working as a team to achieve the latest goal.

I've defined solutions, solved problems, talked constantly about publishing trends and my latest products at conferences, packed books in boxes, stuffed envelopes, made chairs (really badly... and was immediately sacked for failure to position a piece of foam centrally on the chair seat!), done old-peoples' washing, served fast-food at McDonalds, waited on tables, outlined Health & Safety processes on farms and tasted which is the best 'rocket and lettuce', been a ski-rep in Switzerland and skied way more than I probably should have. My point is that I've done most jobs and mostly enjoyed them, even if there were a few things I did not like.

Last Thursday though, I think I found my true calling. It's a combination of talking and ranting about the latest political debacle. It's meeting a new person to chat to every 5-10 minutes. It's debating the issue of the day and how to save the world for our children and their children. It's fun, intellectually stimulating, potentially useful in terms of election, and involves a bit of a walk so I attain my 10,000 steps today. It's canvassing for the Liberal Democrat party!

I recently joined the LibDems after watching Liz Truss attempt to lead with no actual plan or any substance beneath her ideas or plans. Exasperated I joined the LibDems for a very reduced rate and attended my first political conference with them in March 2023. I'm a political novice who avidly follows Rishi Sunak on Prime Ministers Questions, reads extensively in the political sphere, and these days has a social conscience primarily resulting from having a teenage daughter and the associated pester power... After discussing elections and campaigning with our next potential MP Olly Glover, I realised I have much to learn with regards to political strategy and tactics, but perhaps I can bring something new to the table. Enthusiasm, a different perspective on the cultural change it would take to get the LibDems elected, and a fresh view on the leadership style required to do that. I'm thinking the new version of Obama and his social media campaign, ramped up and adjusted to the British electorate of which I am one.

All of these things coincided and resulted in my volunteering to canvas last Thursday for the local council bi-election. Loved it! Apparently regular people don't like going door-to-door but I do. Hopefully I also convinced a few people to remember to vote and to vote for us. At the very least, I got to share ideas, debate our national future, and talk. Ultimately the thing I enjoyed was the talking! Can't deny it, I have the gift of the gab and love a captive audience. So my natural space, found, ticked off the list, and sorted. I'll be out there again for the General Election if not before and look forward to meeting whoever falls 'foul' to my knock at the door.

Be warned I can talk for England, literally . You may want to leave the door firmly shut if you see me. I look forward to meeting you if you do open it, otherwise will push another annoying reminder through your door anyway...