August Challenge - Home - Not Like It's Reputation

Day 22 of Missymoos challenge - Home: What reminds you of home? Or even take a photo of your home. Or simple a house.

A slight back blip as I didn't have time to upload on the day.

My home town (Luton) has a poor reputation in the gutter press. If there is any opportunity to criticise the town they will take it. I tell people that it does not live down to its reputation.

It does not take much effort to find many good things about the town, it has a lively (very) multi-cultural atmosphere, and thrives in many ways. It has undergone huge amounts of change.

To many people it now means "Luton Airport", and that is all that they have seen of it. That is the same as someone only having been to the docks in a city, and then basing their opinions on the docks area while ignoring the rest of the city which may have beautiful buildings, vibrant culture etc.

I live in a part of Luton, called Stopsley, once a separate village, but the expansion of the town in the early 20th Century meant that it was incorporated into the town. I am a Stopsley boy, born and bred here. I went to Stopsley Infants, Stopsley Juniors and Stopsley High Schools, and after having lived for 20 years in South Wales returned here to live.

This view over the town, as the sun was beginning to set, was taken from Stopsley Common. This is my home town, people are surprised that I am even willing to admit to coming from there, but as I tell them, it does not live down to its reputation.