People and place = community

My friend Louise invited me to the inaugural meet-up of the Chamber of Culture at Revelation Church on The Hornet. It was an interesting, mixed crowd - full of faces I hadn’t met before, which was exciting. James was instantly welcoming, though he didn’t push introductions. He had a knack for making everyone feel at ease, letting the connections happen naturally without any pressure. I found his approach refreshing - it was clear that he valued authenticity and flow over rigid formality, and I went along with it, resisting my usual urge for structure.

People and Place are two things that are so important to me, and they mattered to James too. His vision for the Chamber of Culture wasn’t set in stone; he wanted us all to shape it together. His events always featured inspiring speakers, and I’d leave wanting to dig deeper and connect more.

James later came along to a few of my Last Friday Club meet-ups, where he was the same as ever - genuinely open, relaxed, and deeply interested in the lives of the people around him. He had this incredible ability to make people feel seen, no matter who they were or where they came from. I wish we’d had more time to collaborate; it was clear he had so much more to give. The photos are from the Last Friday Club.