As a former infantry officer, then international businessman, Parish Priest, and Chaplain to both metropolitan and county Police Forces, I have seen much of what works and what does not in corporate and institutional life. Today, the parishioners of my current ‘rural commuter’ Kent village, a socially, intellectually, and economically diverse microcosm of English society, offer a revealing perspective on these strange times. I get to hear and discuss with them their prevailing fears and anxieties but also their expectations and hopes.
A couple of things particular have struck me over these last few months; one very positive, one very disconcerting. Despite various media reports to the contrary, those in their 20s and 30s seem surprisingly optimistic about the future despite, economically, being amongst the hardest hit. Theirs is often a strong message that the pandemic has been a timely catalyst in weeding out the inefficient and unnecessary whilst opening up opportunities to bring in much needed new templates and practices both in family and working life. Reporting from the front line I can tell Property Chronicle readers around the world that the idealism and enthusiasm of this country’s youth
