Kirstie Edwards - Community Leader & Ocean Activist

I’m Kirstie, I'm 43, I’ve got six children, 4 biological, 2 nonbiological, ages ranging between 8 and 22. I've lived in Cornwall for 30 plus years and I just love it here. It’s my home, my heart, my favourite place to be. I feel quite claustrophobic and landlocked from away from the sea!

I'm chronically ill, I've got a rare condition called Still's Disease which is a rare type of rheumatoid arthritis that affects my organs as well as my joints. I used to be a university lecturer but had to give up 10 years ago because of my health. I’m a community leader for Plastic-Free Falmouth and I run a small business called Plastic Oceanic which makes jewellery out of non-recyclable plastics. Most recently, I was elected to be deputy mayor of Falmouth!

I’ve given my life over, since becoming too poorly to work full time in a traditional sense, to try to make a positive change and a difference to my community and people’s lives as I can.

1. What do you consider your greatest achievement?

It's got to be my kids. My kids just blow my mind with how compassionate and empathetic and kind and resilient and incredible they are. We've had a tricky journey as a family, it's been me on my own with them for a long time, and although I have a wonderful partner now, I've been the one constant that’s always there for them. Despite all the challenges they are turning into remarkable human beings, against the odds, and I'm very grateful for that.

2. What motivates you to do what you do?

Being chronically ill is really tricky. There are the obvious things of being unwell, the constant appointments, struggling for money and all those things, but it's also the loss of self and the idea of what we're ‘worth’ as individuals.

When I wasn't able to leave the house and I hadn't yet found my place again it was really difficult when people asked ‘What do you do?’ ‘Oh I'm a single mother on benefits’ and that societal shift in how people perceive you is really quite profound, and I found it really difficult. I had been an academic, and I wasn't suddenly a different person just because I was chronically ill through no fault of my own; so that was really challenging.

I started writing a blog about how it feels to be chronically ill and the challenges of societal perceptions. My mental health wasn’t great and I started just going for short walks and picking up litter and listening to motivational podcasts. That just grew and gave me the confidence to keep taking that one step further, and fast-forward five years and I’m a leader in my community, I've written articles for all sorts of different publications, I’ve co-written a book with my Dad, and I've still got a book in me about my story.

It’s all about bringing balance, as I wanted to give something back. I felt like I was taking a lot from the NHS in terms of benefits, even though actually it's not very much to live on, but I wanted to balance those scales and give back. I just want to make a bloody difference! I just care!

3. What do you owe your mother?

She taught me to be incredibly strong and resilient and adaptable and versatile. She's also chronically ill and has had a lot of challenges within her life, and she showed me how to be strong and how to never bloody quit. Never give up no matter what, even when you're scrapping at the bottom of the heap and you feel like you never gonna get out, just to keep pushing. She’s been a wonderful teacher in that.

4. Which women inspire you and why?

I’m so lucky to be surrounded by strong, incredible women. My Mum, and my Nan, she was a constant source of inspiration to me. Also stand-out people like Michelle Obama and the journey that she came on is so admirable. Local people: there's Lizzi Larbalestier who has dedicated her life to making positive environmental impacts. Rachel Yates down in Penzance, Claire Wallerstein and her team working on climate change. Cornwall is full of incredibly inspiring women but I’m also very lucky to be inspired by my close friends.

5. What are you reading?

I always have two or three books on the go but am really enjoying Matt Haig at the moment, and I’m reading Michelle Obama’s ‘Becoming’. It’s nice to have factual alongside escapism.

6. What gender barriers have you had to hurdle?

I’m deputy mayor, and it really annoys me when people call me ‘mayoress’ and people assume that I’m the other mayor’s sidekick! The old boys network is alive and kicking, let’s make no bones about that!

7. How can the world be made a better place for women?

Equality – in everything! Including for the LBGTQ community. I don’t think our work is done until love is love. I have to have faith that I will see seismic changes, so much has changed already, and we mustn’t forget that, but there is still a long way to go.

8. Describe your perfect day?

A moment to be left alone in peace and quiet!!

Waking up having slept under the stars on the coast, having breakfast on the fire, then a paddleboard adventure, stopping to explore as I go. Later in the day meeting up with good friends and good people. Finishing off with shooting stars! Simple pleasures.

9. We've noticed there really aren't many (if any) statues of women around Cornwall - who would you like to see remembered?

The bal maidens always jump out at me as a Cornish icon that we should probably pay more attention to! Women in the fishing and mining industries. Unsung heroes who really make quite big changes in their communities by being very ‘normal’ and humble and cracking on. Maybe a lovely group statue of women working the land? Picking up litter?!

10. Give us a tip?

Something I've tried to live by as I've got older is the ‘Rule of Five’. When you're finding something really difficult and upsetting and you don't know if you're gonna get through it, ask: Will it matter in five minutes? Will it matter in five hours? 5 days? 5 weeks? 5 months? 5 years? Try and get some perspective on the hard things in life, because life is bloody difficult and very few people have an easy path. I’ve decided to share my story more because I think that it's important that we all see how tough life is even if it looks like everything's okay, and maybe that will teach people a little bit more empathy and to be a bit kinder. Be kind and remember the rule of five!