Mark Jones is partnerships manager at Destination Basingstoke. He has worked in Basingstoke for 27 years, including 13 years as editor of the Gazette and eight years as director of communications and fundraising at Ark Cancer Charity.

HAPPY New Year everyone – hope 2024 is full of positive and good times.

It’s not always easy but, if possible, it’s good to get a new year off to a positive start – so, for me, it’s a definitely a bit of an eye rolling moment when a new survey claims Basingstoke is one of the most depressing places to live in the UK.

It all makes for provocative comment and discussion, and it’s great to see people like the Gazette’s Mark Paine, who was born and raised in Basingstoke, coming to the defence of the town in an article.

READ MORE: Basingstoke nominated as one of UK's 'most depressing' towns in 2024 poll

It was a similar negative story back in 2003 that prompted myself, then editor of the Gazette, to launch the Basingstoke – A Place to be Proud of campaign. I was basically fed up of people deriding our town when I knew from first-hand experience that it was a place full of great people, businesses, and community organisations – a place to be proud of.

The start of the campaign quickly led to the launch of the annual A Place to be Proud of Awards – and these are still going strong after 21 years, showcasing and celebrating amazing people from all walks of life.

I find the ‘Basingstoke is a depressing place’ stories an irritation – like Mark, I don’t understand where this viewpoint comes from. Nowhere is perfect, and Basingstoke definitely has items in the ‘must do better’ column. However, where doesn’t, and in my opinion, Basingstoke has many more pluses than minuses.

How many places have the vibrancy that is so evident in Basingstoke across many walks of life? How many places can you travel a few minutes out of the town in any direction and find yourself in beautiful countryside? How many places give you access to lovely green spaces while being an hour from London and the coast, as well as other areas of outstanding beauty?

SEE ALSO: Basingstoke has been called 'depressing' - this is why we think that is wrong

Most of all, I don’t know anywhere else where people are so friendly, and have such a can-do and collaborative, caring attitude. It’s positively uplifting.

Myself and everyone involved in the A Place to be Proud of Awards 2024 are looking forward to seeing what great nominees are put forward for an honour this year – you can make a nomination at destinationbasingstoke.co.uk/a-place-to-be-proud-of/nominate.

If past years are anything to go by, reading about, and celebrating, our local community heroes across many sectors will once again be an enjoyable and heartening experience. It makes you glad to live and/or work in Basingstoke – a place to be proud of.