For weeks, I’d been wondering whether my office chair was contributing to my back pain. So over the weekend, I set off on an expedition — a “work trip” of sorts — in search of the chair that would finally sort it.

🎯 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝘄𝗶𝘀, 𝗟𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀.

It’s the nearest store where I could actually try the chairs, instead of ordering them online and having to send them back (again!). Don’t get me started on that one…

☀️ The sun was shining. People seemed relaxed – even if a little drained by the heat. But it wasn’t the chair (I’ve still not decided!) that stayed with me…

It was the journey. Or more specifically, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗜 𝗺𝗲𝘁 on it.

🛤️ There’s something about 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. I usually spend the time watching the countryside roll by — the calming hills and dales of #𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 and #𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 in my case. But this time, I ended up deep in conversation with a few fellow travellers.

👩 One was a lady who had worked in social care for most of her life — a demanding and often unseen job, where people can often feel unappreciated. Now retired, she told me how much she loves caring for her grandchildren. It was lovely to see how animated and content she was in this new chapter of her life.

👥 I also found myself chatting with three men who’d spent the day out together — a ritual they try to keep up so 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱, and I suspected, quietly supportive of one another. We spoke about all sorts, had a few laughs, and naturally, the conversation turned to football.

(𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗙𝗖 for me – and 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝗻𝗱 for them. You can imagine the banter! ⚽😄)

What really struck me though, was what came next!

💬 𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹. 𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆.

We shared how much we admire the work our clubs do beyond the pitch — from 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗽𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆, 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆, 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻, to name just a few. All these endeavours bring people together in meaningful ways that help to build communities.

I voiced, both personally and professionally, how conflicted I feel — that food poverty even exists in England today, but also how vital these services are. The men wholeheartedly agreed.

⚽ 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗼 𝗳𝗮𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗲.They create 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴. They 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘀. They remind people that they matter because they do!!.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺, 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 — and I honestly wish we’d had longer together. I just love these unexpected but welcomed connections. It was one of those moments that left a lasting impression on me.

𝗜𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸, 𝗜 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀.

But what I was reminded of — yet again — is how much we heal through connecting with others.

Sometimes it’s through:

💬 A chat with a stranger

😊 A simple smile that says “I see you”

💛 Shared memories over a match

🌍 Or knowing there’s a place in the community where you’re always welcome

💡 𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝘁 — 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 — 𝗮 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗯, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 Burnley FC in the Community Preston North End Community and Education Trust, 𝗜 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

Your community work isn’t going unnoticed.

As fans, and as people, we appreciate it more than you might know.

🧡 Thank you for helping people feel seen, supported, and like they belong — because they do.

💭 What about you?

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 — 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵?

I’d love to hear your thoughts 👇

🧭 And if you’re someone who’s not feeling that sense of connection right now — 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲.

It can be hard to know where to begin, especially if self-worth has taken a knock. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 — 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱.

👣 This is the kind of work I do every day — helping people rebuild from the inside out so that connection feels safe, genuine, and possible again.