Opening Up To Change

When I first moved to Bournemouth, I said that this would be my last move. I have lived here for over twenty years with my husband, and my children were brought up here.

My Children are all adults now, and I have decided that it is time for change.

We have enjoyed certain aspects of Bournemouth such as the cafes, beaches, pubs, clubs etc.

However, we have decided that we need a little more out of life.

My husband used to work as a nurse until he became ill which caused more disabilities. He has difficulties managing our home, and he feels really down getting out and about because Bournemouth is not the easiest place for him to get around.

I, on the other hand, need a little more color in my life. I need to be closer to my friends.

I have friends in Bournemouth, but almost all of my friends live in Great Yarmouth.

We spend regular time on holiday in Great Yarmouth, and we were caravan owners on a site called Seashore Holiday Park for a short while. The only reason we gave up was because we had a lot of complications and difficulties come our way. However, we still have friends on the site and we know the staff well. We love going back, because not only does the caravan park have a lot to offer but Great Yarmouth also has a lot to offer, and there is more to do there.

The recent years have been harder in Bournemouth. A lot of our regular haunts have gone, and the town isn't as good as it was when we first moved here. Everything is much more expensive here, and our home is not right for my husband who cannot manage the stairs or the house we live in. We have waited three years for Bournemouth council to plan adaptations, which we know have been impacted by the pandemic.

However, it isn't just that which has affected us. Over the years before the pandemic. we have asked for help in getting repairs and other things done so that we can make the house right, and nothing has been done. We asked about being moved to a bungalow and we were told that wouldn't happen because we are not over 75.

It isn't all to do with housing either.

I want to live somewhere that has more to offer; a place where I can enjoy my life with my grandchildren, where I can enjoy adventure days out with my husband, and we both love the seaside aspect of Great Yarmouth.

The change will be difficult since we lived in Bournemouth for so long but we have weighed up the pros and cons. The change will be better because we will finally be in a place where we can enjoy living, and have the benefit of supportive friends too.

We will be able to have days out and enjoy them without having to constantly do the same things over and over again.

We are planning our move slowly, working through work first in order to establish income, saving, and choosing where we go wisely.

We are willing to go private for a while so that we can establish ourselves fully. Once there, we want to build up to buying a home and a caravan.

It will be sad to leave some memories behind, but we will also be moving on from the painful struggle of living a now isolating life and onto happier things.

Change is often a difficult one to make when you once enjoyed where you live and you have to leave old connections behind. However, living in Bournemouth has helped me heal through a lot of trauma, though it also came with more trauma over the years, so it wasn't an easy journey.

Our children are grown up now, and they have moved on with their lives. It is now time for us to do the same, because:

A person who stays stuck in one place forever will never see what other places have to offer.

It is time for us to be open to and work towards change, we will thank ourselves for it in the future.