This post is about work rather than Guiding - I hope you will forgive me. We are currently in that rather odd limbo where we know 19 people are being consulted for redundancy and we know most of their names - but we have to pretend we don't until they tell us themselves. Of course they will be moving on soon and there are many I will miss very much. In a recent round in New Zealand a very good friend lost her job, so this month will be difficult.
Next week a good number of people are taking early retirement and some of them have already gone.
All in all there are a lot of goodbyes. Of course, it impacts morale but I have to praise these soon-to-be redundant employees in that they are all, or at least the ones I have spoken to, positive. They often say that those who leave can be the best ambassadors for your organisation. Let's hope so. I have never regretted leaving an organisation but always look back with fondness at the time I worked there.
Tuesday 22 September 2009
Wednesday 16 September 2009
An unbalanced life
I am so busy! But only in hometime. As the recession continues, paid work is scarce and there are only so many times you can ring clients before it becomes stalking, so I scratch around for useful things to do during the day. We have had more redundancies and there are numerous early retirements so my office is going to be much emptier next month. To look on the bright side that will mean it is easier to get a desk.
Guiding on the other hand could more than easily fill this time - but I can't let it. Today I am, rather late in the day, trying to find a venue for a recruitment training on November 7th. I have to do the various planning permissions for Herons Wey and meet a builder for an outline quote. I should probably also ask our Treasurer how much money we already have.
I need to find some new Advisers, review which appointments are coming up, follow up on the retirement gift and new Surrey Lion Award, look through the Guiding Development Group plans, start thinking more about retention....and I still have Lost property from Wet and Wacky. My six bags have now morphed into five bags and lots of little piles. The three bags in the office remain untouched - until later today when I collect them.
I am, though, very encouraged by the number of positive comments about Wet and Wacky and pleased that some material offers of help have been produced. I have suggested to my District we hold a Mother and Daughter evening to build on this - our Friends of Guiding could get some new members or we could get more Leaders.
Guiding on the other hand could more than easily fill this time - but I can't let it. Today I am, rather late in the day, trying to find a venue for a recruitment training on November 7th. I have to do the various planning permissions for Herons Wey and meet a builder for an outline quote. I should probably also ask our Treasurer how much money we already have.
I need to find some new Advisers, review which appointments are coming up, follow up on the retirement gift and new Surrey Lion Award, look through the Guiding Development Group plans, start thinking more about retention....and I still have Lost property from Wet and Wacky. My six bags have now morphed into five bags and lots of little piles. The three bags in the office remain untouched - until later today when I collect them.
I am, though, very encouraged by the number of positive comments about Wet and Wacky and pleased that some material offers of help have been produced. I have suggested to my District we hold a Mother and Daughter evening to build on this - our Friends of Guiding could get some new members or we could get more Leaders.
Friday 11 September 2009
More praise for Wet and Wacky
As the team have quite rightly had lots of congratualtions for a fabulous day, I thought just one posting about it was no more than touching the surface. So here are more comments....
I just had a long call from my friend .... who was absolutely ecstatic about Wet & Wacky. She thought it was BRILLIANT and was VERY.VERY IMPRESSED that we could organise something like this that gave girls such great opportunities to enjoy themselves in a fun and safe environment. She was blown away by it and is going to offer to be a unit helper at least at her daughter's Rainbow unit.
A HUGE big THANK YOU to you all for such a wonderful day yesterday. All our Brownies, and the Guides and Rainbows from our District, had the most fantastic day. From the singing and dancing and flag parading of the Opening Ceremony to all the various activities it was a triumph. Our girls made things, bought things, patted police horses, got wet and very foamy and the smiles never left their faces. We told our parents we would probably leave around 4pm as the girls would be tired by then, but in the event we dragged them out at 5.45pm!
I will leave the final words to our Brownies - when asked what they had enjoyed the most? - they replied "All of it"
Thank you for a most amazing start to the centenary! I did really enjoy it (even the hard work..) and I am in awe of your team and the work you put in to make it happen. I hope Voyage Around The World can be half as good. Well done and thank you... from 3000 of us!
I've already had one Brownie parent talk about having her CRB done so she can help out more because her daughter had such a good time - the same one who wasn't sure whether her daughter was robust enough to join such a big event. I just hope they don't start expecting all events to be in the same league in future!
Of course this is just a sample - but a representative one. That we are getting potential unit helpers and Leaders is simply amazing. What other event that we have put on has had that impact?
I just had a long call from my friend .... who was absolutely ecstatic about Wet & Wacky. She thought it was BRILLIANT and was VERY.VERY IMPRESSED that we could organise something like this that gave girls such great opportunities to enjoy themselves in a fun and safe environment. She was blown away by it and is going to offer to be a unit helper at least at her daughter's Rainbow unit.
A HUGE big THANK YOU to you all for such a wonderful day yesterday. All our Brownies, and the Guides and Rainbows from our District, had the most fantastic day. From the singing and dancing and flag parading of the Opening Ceremony to all the various activities it was a triumph. Our girls made things, bought things, patted police horses, got wet and very foamy and the smiles never left their faces. We told our parents we would probably leave around 4pm as the girls would be tired by then, but in the event we dragged them out at 5.45pm!
I will leave the final words to our Brownies - when asked what they had enjoyed the most? - they replied "All of it"
Thank you for a most amazing start to the centenary! I did really enjoy it (even the hard work..) and I am in awe of your team and the work you put in to make it happen. I hope Voyage Around The World can be half as good. Well done and thank you... from 3000 of us!
I've already had one Brownie parent talk about having her CRB done so she can help out more because her daughter had such a good time - the same one who wasn't sure whether her daughter was robust enough to join such a big event. I just hope they don't start expecting all events to be in the same league in future!
Of course this is just a sample - but a representative one. That we are getting potential unit helpers and Leaders is simply amazing. What other event that we have put on has had that impact?
Praise for Wet and Wacky
On Sunday we launched the Centenary with Wet and Wacky. This was organised for 3000 people by just 6 (SIX) Leaders who did a fantastic job. I thought I would share with you some of the thanks they have received - I hope those who wrote them will forgive me for going public!
thank you so much for a wonderful day on Sunday. The girls had a fantastic time, ... the feedback from parents has been brilliant. I was at a school meeting last night and it was the talk of Thames Ditton Junior school - the Year 4 teachers had heard all about it from the Brownies, and some of the neighbours were very intrigued about what was going on and couldn't believe that girls could make so much noise (even though they'd had the flier through the door). I think they were a bit jealous about not being there! I think it's done a lot to raise the profile of guiding locally and it certainly got the centenary year off to a great start. I know you all worked very hard, and it showed in the range of activities available and the organisation before and on the day. The leaders and girls (and the parents of those happy but shattered girls!) from Esher Division would like to say a big Thank You. Hopefully we can return the favour one day. I've already had one Brownie parent talk about having her CRB done so she can help out more because her daughter had such a good time - the same one who wasn't sure whether her daughter was robust enough to join such a big event. I just hope they don't start expecting all events to be in the same league in future!
wow what a wonderful day, many many thanks to you all and the rest of your team, all of whom put together a memorable day. Since moving into Surrey West I have been very impressed with some great moments of guiding however, Sunday really does take the biscuit. Well done.
Alice too had a wonderful day, it was great to see her attempting things I never would have thought she would, and doing so with a huge grin. She went to bed exhausted but quoting "that was the best ever day" .. and that is what it is all about.
Thank you so much for all your hard work and that of your team who organised a fantastic day today. All my Brownies and my daughter had a wonderful day, ... We really appreciate all of your efforts over the months it has taken to organise this event, you can all be very proud of yourselves......Please pass on my thanks to your special team and I hope you get to have a celebratory drink for a job well done.
A HUGE thank you to you & your team, for all your hard work to make Wet & Wacky such a fantastic success!! It was great to see so many happy smiling Guiding faces, all having such great fun! All the Brownies, Guides, Leaders & guests that came from Farnham Division had a brilliant time, went home very happy & just a little tired.
There were, of course, many, many more. I would like to add a Thank you form me - Ladies I hope someone is at home tomorrow at your house as there may be a delivery for you....
And there were some comments like this.....
PS One of my Mums who came as her daughter's guest was so enthused by it all that she has now finally decided to become a leader with me at Guides!!! So a very special thank you for that little bonus too!
You couldn't hope for more!
thank you so much for a wonderful day on Sunday. The girls had a fantastic time, ... the feedback from parents has been brilliant. I was at a school meeting last night and it was the talk of Thames Ditton Junior school - the Year 4 teachers had heard all about it from the Brownies, and some of the neighbours were very intrigued about what was going on and couldn't believe that girls could make so much noise (even though they'd had the flier through the door). I think they were a bit jealous about not being there! I think it's done a lot to raise the profile of guiding locally and it certainly got the centenary year off to a great start. I know you all worked very hard, and it showed in the range of activities available and the organisation before and on the day. The leaders and girls (and the parents of those happy but shattered girls!) from Esher Division would like to say a big Thank You. Hopefully we can return the favour one day. I've already had one Brownie parent talk about having her CRB done so she can help out more because her daughter had such a good time - the same one who wasn't sure whether her daughter was robust enough to join such a big event. I just hope they don't start expecting all events to be in the same league in future!
wow what a wonderful day, many many thanks to you all and the rest of your team, all of whom put together a memorable day. Since moving into Surrey West I have been very impressed with some great moments of guiding however, Sunday really does take the biscuit. Well done.
Alice too had a wonderful day, it was great to see her attempting things I never would have thought she would, and doing so with a huge grin. She went to bed exhausted but quoting "that was the best ever day" .. and that is what it is all about.
Thank you so much for all your hard work and that of your team who organised a fantastic day today. All my Brownies and my daughter had a wonderful day, ... We really appreciate all of your efforts over the months it has taken to organise this event, you can all be very proud of yourselves......Please pass on my thanks to your special team and I hope you get to have a celebratory drink for a job well done.
A HUGE thank you to you & your team, for all your hard work to make Wet & Wacky such a fantastic success!! It was great to see so many happy smiling Guiding faces, all having such great fun! All the Brownies, Guides, Leaders & guests that came from Farnham Division had a brilliant time, went home very happy & just a little tired.
There were, of course, many, many more. I would like to add a Thank you form me - Ladies I hope someone is at home tomorrow at your house as there may be a delivery for you....
And there were some comments like this.....
PS One of my Mums who came as her daughter's guest was so enthused by it all that she has now finally decided to become a leader with me at Guides!!! So a very special thank you for that little bonus too!
You couldn't hope for more!
Monday 7 September 2009
Fantastic Centenary Launch
Yesterday was our Centenary launch party, Wet n Wacky. What a splendid day! Good weather, lots of activities, a lovely site and, at the end of the day, lots of happy people. As usual running these events is a bit like the swan - looking serene and in control above the water while paddling furiously underneath. The committee was just six people and they are to be applauded for the magnificent job they did. Of course, there were hiccups but these were outweighed by the successes.
Now I have six bin bags of lost property; more than half unnamed, to find owners for.
Oh - and 1st Weybridge remains the front runner for first unit in Surrey West as Shere was 1917. I have heard that 1st St Johns has a good claim though. My own Guide unit, 1st Horsell (now closed) was 1916. There must be lots of 100 year old or nearly 100 year old units - let's hear about them. Oh, and Hindhead Guides is suspended now too or their claim would be almost unbeatable as they existed as a Scout unit before 1910.
Now I have six bin bags of lost property; more than half unnamed, to find owners for.
Oh - and 1st Weybridge remains the front runner for first unit in Surrey West as Shere was 1917. I have heard that 1st St Johns has a good claim though. My own Guide unit, 1st Horsell (now closed) was 1916. There must be lots of 100 year old or nearly 100 year old units - let's hear about them. Oh, and Hindhead Guides is suspended now too or their claim would be almost unbeatable as they existed as a Scout unit before 1910.
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