The Slades: Community, Creativity, and Civic Pride in St Neots

Show Notes:

In this episode of The People’s Republic of St Neots, Stephen sits down with Richard and Clair Slade — the current Mayor and Mayoress of St Neots.

This is not a conversation about party politics. Instead, it’s a story about people, place, and community.

We wind the clock back to Richard’s journey to St Neots, exploring what drew him to the town and what it was like putting down roots here. From there, the conversation moves into community advocacy, creativity, and the early days of local civic life — including the founding of The Neotists, their community arts collective, and the festivals and projects that have helped shape the town’s cultural identity.

Richard also reflects on his evolving view of the mayoralty itself — from once questioning the value of the role to wearing the chain with pride for two consecutive terms — and what the experience of being Mayor has taught him about representation, visibility, and service.

Throughout, both Richard and Clair share insights into what it means to be visible, approachable faces of the town, and how civic life can be joyful, creative, and inclusive.

At its heart, this episode is a celebration of local leadership rooted in community — and a sense of civic pride that is both strong and stable.

Grace Chapman's family have lived in St Neots for more than 400 years, and having been born here and raised here, she has vowed to spend the rest of her adult live living here.

Grace is a local history nerd, a prominent member of the St Neots History Society, a Run Director at Riverside Junior parkrun, and one of the organisers of the St Neots Festival.

She is also one of the stars of a forthcoming production of "The Girl on the Train".

She is one of the most "St Neots people" that I know.

In the second episode I join local legend Mick Pescod, and volunteers Helen & Susan, on their Monday morning community support round, dropping food parcels to elderly and vulnerable people in our community.

I chat with Mick about how Three Pillars got started and all of the wonderful ways in that they help people in the St Neots community.

You can reach Mick and the crew on their Facebook page:

https://m.facebook.com/groups/193804767739323/

In the first episode I chat with Clair Slade, who is a co-founder of the Neotists and one of the main organisers of The St Neots Festival and the St Neots Cave about building self-sustaining communities.

• Art & Soul St Neots - Cafe, Gallery and Creative Hub
• St Neots Festival
• St Neots Man Cave
• Neotists | A community of creatives from St Neots, Cambridgeshire