What it means to be a villager and why it matters...
People often ask why I set the Connection Club up. It was about creating a village. Not another business group or networking membership, but something different.
I wanted to create a community where women were being seen and heard, felt understood and supported, regardless of what they did in their professional lives. It was about the person.
The “village” idea of community is less about geography and more about mindset. It’s the belief that life works better when people are connected, supportive, and invested in one another, not just as acquaintances, but as contributors to a shared way of living.
And because no one thrives in isolation.
The collapse of “natural community”
Historically, connection was built into daily life. As societies have become more mobile and individualistic those built-in support systems have thinned out.
We still have our family and friends around us, but I felt the extended connections where dwindling but why?
Digital connection replacing real connection
Social media and messaging apps give the illusion of closeness, but they often lack depth. We spend so much time on our phones that I wanted to encourage real connection.
Scrolling, liking, and quick check-ins don’t always meet our basic human needs. We need a village. (By the way I appreciate the irony that I use WhatsApp to communicate).
Life transitions are more isolating
Certain life stages are particularly linked to isolation. For me, these came at different parts/events of my life: Becoming a Mum (Beth can talk about this with her recent launch of The Matrescence Project), Covid, Career changes or promotions and now navigating the midlife mountain range.
These transitions used to be more communal. Now they’re often navigated privately.
The pressure to “have it all together”
I still get this now. But why do we have such pressure on ourselves? Our own thoughts can send us crazy, thinking we need to be successful, emotionally intelligent, healthy, socially fulfilled but with the pressure of these thoughts it can be harder to admit about feeling isolated.
Another reason I created The Connection Club - no one has to feel like this and we can lean on each other when we need to.
The Connection Club Village
Within The Connection Club Village, lots of activities take place: WhatsApp groups, email exchanges, a coffee and chat, a meeting, a phone call, a walk and talk, a meeting, an online session, an event, a collaboration, a new idea…
There has been so much magic that has happened already within our community, some of those things we don’t always see or share publicly. Here is a little reminder of what we already do well in our village:
Offer help without needing to be asked or ask for help if needed
Share responsibility for wellbeing, growth, and belonging
Celebrate wins and hold space during struggles or new ideas
Support, listen, encourage
Activate and/or elevate
Being a villager isn’t passive, it’s an active role. It means choosing to show up. It’s less about being perfect and more about being present.
Thank you for being part of this village.
When I first had this idea it was about connecting people, hence the name, and now six months on it's still that, but it’s also so much more. I now realise that The Connection Club means something different to everyone - a quiet connection, a support system, an accelerator, a comfortable space, or somewhere you get to be you with no added pressure.
For some magic has happened, for others it’s still to come but only you know what you need from the village. It’s your space to take what you need and contribute accordingly.
If I can make The Connection Club Village magical for you, then please let me know your thoughts and ideas and we can make it happen.
Because that’s what communities do. And that’s why I created it.
Become a member of The Connection Club here.
