After a “blogging holiday” during the political graveyard that is August, I will now return to blogging on a regular basis. Welcome back…!
According to research presented at the annual conference of the Royal Geographical Society and the Institute of British Geographers, Runnymede is the 136th happiest place to live in the United Kingdom out of 273 areas and (jointly with Spelthorne), the happiest in Surrey.
The Survey put the following questions asking people to grade their answers to the following questions on the basis of “better than usual”, “same as usual”, “less than usual” and “much less than usual.
1. Been able to concentrate on whatever you are doing?
2. Lost much sleep over worry?
3. Felt that you are playing a useful part in things?
4. Felt capable of making decisions about things?
5. Felt constantly under strain?
6. Felt you could not overcome your difficulties?
7. Been able to enjoy your normal day-today activities?
8. Been able to face up to your problems?
9. Been feeling unhappy and depressed?
10. Been losing confidence in yourself?
11. Been thinking of yourself as a worthless person?
12. Been feeling reasonably happy all things considered?
The most cheerful places? Powys, Manchester, West Lothian, Cumbernauld, Kilsyth, Monklands and Macclesfield.
The least cheerful places? Edinburgh, Cynon Valley, Rhondda, Amber Valley, North East Derbyshire, Clydesdale, Cumnock, Doon Valley, Kyle, Carrick and Swansea.
Happiness is hugely subjective, so I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions from the survey. It does appear, however, that the connection between wealth and happiness is, at best, a tenuous one with the top hundred ‘happiest places’ including both very wealthy and poorer areas.
A PDF of the full rankings can be download by clicking here.
