Hey Peter — thank you for sharing this. I don’t post much either, but reading this really struck a chord. It’s clear you care deeply about your community, and you’re taking real action. That deserves respect.
What you’re describing — the chaos, addiction, and institutional breakdown — it’s the entropy rising. And I totally get that “fight or flight” feeling.
I’ve been studying Tom Campbell’s My Big TOE, which looks at all of this through the lens of consciousness evolution. It suggests that our way out isn’t just to fight decay with more force, but to lower entropy through connection, compassion, and constructive service.
What you’re building — beyond the security guards — sounds like a platform for civic re-imagination. I think that’s where the real power is: not just suppressing symptoms, but cultivating conditions for regeneration — economic, social, even spiritual.
You’ve taken responsibility in a way most wouldn’t. That’s leadership. And with the right energy — not fear or control, but grounded care — it can ripple far beyond Bedford.
Keep going, mate. You’re doing more than fixing a town — you’re rewriting the script.