Sadly, our mother passed away in the Autumn and as a family we have spent the past week clearing her home preparing it to welcome a new, loving owner. It ends a 53-year association with our family home and the great neighbours and community around it. I was just a few weeks old when the beautiful young couple, my parents, moved into their forever home. Their neighbours remained their neighbours until they both passed away. From baby to boy and then bachelorhood, I spent my entire pre-married life surrounded by just the best people in that Carnhill community. An amazing spirit of caring and sharing wrapped around us like a huge comforting blanket. The back squares were not just for parking, but were safe playgrounds and football pitches, the fields around us were golf courses. Festivals were born, floats constructed, and an army of majorettes drilled. Ramps were built for Evel Knievel inspired jumps on Choppers or the heavier and harder to handle Grifters. Old prams converted in to racing trolleys and the paths turned into ice slides in the winter. Grazed knees and bruised heads were as frequent as the sweet sound of the horn of Gerry Kelly’s mobile shop or the poke van arriving at your square. Alongside this was a community owned, community-built infrastructure. There were no shops so ‘Mobiles’ (which never moved!) sprung up. A supermarket was needed so everyone put in a pound a week to buy shares in the Galliagh Co-op then Northside built a shopping centre. The Pennyburn Credit Union provided the cash needed for cars, holidays, and home improvements. The Resource Centre delivered support with everything from benefits advice to printing to meals on wheels. Almost everything the people needed was built by the people. Providing jobs, services, and essential support. That’s the Derry way and whilst hard to see at times, we are all richer for it. A massive thank you to our incredible neighbours, the known and the unknown leaders and thousands of contributors whose collective effort built a place I’ll forever call home.