This is a letter open letter to my beloved hometown Middlesbrough so here it goes.
Dear Middlesbrough you give me so much in my life in my short 26 years of life so far of living, I didn’t know for a long time how much you made me the person I am today in 2021. In my teen years and early 20s I did nothing but disrespect you, I mean if I’m being honest every opportunity I had I did look back how much I would speak negatively of the place I always called him I would see now its like looking at a different person in the mirror.
I often think and wonder how have I gone being 5 years ago traveling around Europe aged 21 speaking nothing but negatively about my beloved hometown to now 5 years on aged 26 running this blog celebrating positive stories and events happening here.
My started the blog back in late 2018 Project Middlesbrough is about to celebrate its 3rd of running which I can’t believe one I first launched. I thought it would last few months I never thought end up with nearly 40,000 visitors to my website nearly 5000 followers on the Facebook page and now even being radio presenter on a local station.
Your most probably wondering what my blog and being on the radio has to do with my hometown shaping me as a person, that’s just it there would be no Project Middlesbrough without Middlesbrough. With no blog there would never have been the opportunity for me to work in radio , write and have published be paid by other online platform’s to write pieces something I would never dreamt a few years ago, being paid to write articles for other people have some of my pieces been read by more than 2000 people. Even more so suffering from dyslexia yes I do struggle time to time with it without my blog I would never had achieved any of these thing, 2 years ago appearing on BBC News and appearing on national radio stations talking about my hometown all these amazing things which have happened to time in the 2 and half are down to my hometown Middlesbrough, none of this would happened if it wasn’t for you.
I grew so much as a person in the last few years through starting my blog , I can’t thank nothing more than my hometown without you I would never achieved my dreams , discover my passion working in radio.
Yes I know there are many issues in Middlesbrough; I think many people who read the blog think I am blind to this I know as much as the next person there’s many issues in our town I see every day. I can see when walking through the town centre there are many businesses closes there’s much work to be done to try and make our town a better place, I know a lot has gone wrong there’s much to be corrected, I feel many towns as there issues where just one of them, with hard work our town will grow and get better progress into a stronger and better place to live.
Project Middlesbrough is here to highlight positive stories happening in our area , so much negative media attention on our town this is a space for positive stories those positive voices derisive a place to be heard.
I have like many people who live here or live nearby have had a love to hate relationship with the area wanting to move away go somewhere with more opportunities ,speaking badly of the area when on my travels ,been ashamed of my Boro accent.
You’re not perfect Middlesbrough sometimes I question why I’m still here , but thankyou for helping me to become the person I am today.
Much love
Chloe
Project Middlesbrough 