#Winterofcareandrepair
I first cam across the Winter of Care and Repair challenge during the summer when I was going through the back catalogue of the Check Your Thread podcast.
The challenge, created by @thepeoplesmending, runs from winter solstice to the spring equinox and it invites participants to find ways that they can take care of their belongings, self, community, and/or relationships. There are no fixed rules and, as it is a personal challenge, each person who chooses to take part can make their own unique pledges that suit their lifestyle, time, and needs.
Those who follow me on Instagram will know that I lean into the view that winter is a time to hibernate, rest and restore – something that Katherine May’s beautiful writings in Wintering promote.
My Winter of Care and Repair pledges are to:
1.Mend – I do not have lots of broken things to repair because I prefer to deal with issues as and when they come up. This helps to prevent a massive backlog that takes a strong will and a lot of time to tackle. I do have a few pairs of wool tights that need some love and a few pairs of socks that could do with some preventative mending to fend off holes, so I am going to devote some time to taking care of these items.
2.Self-care – My step count usually drops off a cliff during winter. I am inclined to cosy up indoors to an extent that goes past being helpful, so I am committing to taking an average of 10,000 steps a day during the colder, wetter months.
3.Community and relationships – I have bundled these together because, having recently moved to East Sussex from London, it makes sense for me to do so. I knew no-one when I moved to East Sussex, and I have been lucky enough to make some fantastic new friends. I am committing to nurturing these relationships and to get more involved in community life. I am going to search for ways to volunteer my time and I am going to get involved in community initiatives tied to the environment. Unable to find a book/podcast/film club that to replace the one that I attended while I lived in London, I also decided to set one up in my new neighbourhood. So far, the reaction has been great, and I hope to grow this community over the months ahead.
Winter of Care and Repair officially kicks off on 21 December 2024 and it runs until 20th March 2025. Think what pledges you could make and follow my progress on Instagram @editandreset and #winterofcareandrepair.