My Life in South Leeds

Who doesn’t love a story? Think about it. Whether you are an avid reader, a habitual Soap Opera viewer or just an enthusiastic gossiper, story has a place in your life. We love to know what other people get up to; it is only natural to be curious. Story is as ancient as human kind and is part of what makes us… well human!

I expect you, like me, often think of other people as the story-makers. After all they have the fancy words or the unexpected life experiences and you may feel just ordinary. But take a moment with me and think back to the stories you have enjoyed – they are not only the ones with dramatic rescues or daring pursuits or dashing quests – sometimes it is really enjoyable to listen to experiences which are rather like your own. These stories are especially important when they come from the place that you live in and call your home. Stories bring people together, they allow us a sigh-of-relief as we realise it is ‘not just me’. Stories can reveal our differences and our similarities; they unveil the humanness in us all. Stories can give communities a voice.

South Leeds Life is inviting you to share your story about how you live your life in South Leeds. Perhaps you have lived here forever and have seen places come and go, you could take others on a winding trip down memory lane. You may have just enjoyed a special family occasion that you would like to share. Maybe you have an interest that you know other people in South Leeds enjoy or perhaps, recently, you achieved something you are proud of. Let’s not forget that you could be the one who has experienced a daring pursuit! These are the stories that we can all find interesting.

Of course there are a few considerations. Firstly South Leeds Life would very much like your story to be accompanied with a photo. Secondly, if you are feeling under-confident about your writing skills, you can submit an unedited version and we can help you with loose ends. It does have to be readable, that means a word limit of 500 words would be great. Of course you can think outside the box, if you don’t fancy using a keyboard you could submit your story in graphic novel form, photos or even a video. Lastly, where I work we have a rule, it goes like this: ‘We are always Kind and Friendly’, and although child-like I think it applies to many things in life, including the stories we choose to tell.