Hi, I’m Ellie. I’m 46, mixed race, and I’ve called Redruth home since just before Covid. Honestly, it wasn’t love at first sight, moving here in lockdown meant I felt like I stuck out, and it took a while before the town felt like home.
But bit by bit, Redruth won me over. Once you’re in, you’re in. You might never be considered a “local” unless your parents were born here, but you also can’t walk down the street without bumping into familiar faces. That mix of connection, difference, and humour is what I love most about living here. Still, Redruth isn’t without its challenges. It can feel siloed, its reputation across Cornwall isn’t always kind, and change here is complicated.
So, how did I end up on the Town Council? Honestly, because I wanted to help make Redruth better while protecting the things that make it special. But also because it felt important that different voices and perspectives had a seat at the table.
And the blog…
And that’s where this blog comes in. Engagement with politics is at an all-time low. In Redruth, most elections aren’t even contested. Many councillors have been in their seats for over a decade, and the average age is high. For lots of people, politics feels like it happens “somewhere else.” I totally get that. But the truth is, we do have power, especially at a local level. We pay our taxes, we shape our communities, and if more of us stepped in, even just a little, things could start to change.
So this blog is my way of lifting the lid on what being a councillor is really like: messy, funny, sometimes frustrating, but also meaningful. If it inspires even one more person to get involved, I’ll count that as a win.