Welcome back

Nearly September and my Guide-free summer is at an end. Not Guide-free really of course with the Centenary launches looming added to:

• continued work on the new Herons Wey toilet blocks
• the launch of GO!
• enquiries about places in units
• a couple of complaints - no details but I will say how hard it is to help with people who won't listen
• appointment of a Guide Adviser duo
• review of accounts
• reading Adventure 100 - now there is a year's worth of programme ideas on its own.
• writing reports on P50K funding (OK I haven't done it yet)
• talking about a Commissioners Conference
• talking about training for Leaders n behavioural issues
• more - much more...

As I come up to one year in role I can look back and realise I have learnt a lot. Not being a manager, I am learning much about dealing with people.

Goodbye - back in time for Streamline

Off on holiday again on Saturday! Iceland which requires jumpers being only 13 degrees. I will be back in time for the Streamline launch. So no emails from me but I imagine no-one has yet had a Guide-free summer.

Eco-friendly buildings

The first August post! Sorry but I have been ill - not swine flu but one of the bugs going round.

On Wednesday Julie Alexander and I visited a couple of eco-houses near Herons Wey to try to decide to what extent we could/should be eco-friendly when building the toilet block. It was very interesting.....At the moment it looks like generating our own power through solar panels makes sense (expensive but there are grants available and we can sell back to the grid) as does rainwater harvesting for flushing loos. Hot water on the other hand would not be worth it as it seems to be too efficient for our small needs! Julie is pursuing this with various surveyors. We need to understand about it as it will have an impact on the design of the toilet block mainly in how the roof is constructed (angle of roof, single or double slope, spacing between roof tresses etc).

I also visited the Cabin to see how it is to be refurbished if we get planning permission to hire it out for sleepovers. I am optimistic we will. Actually it really only needs a tidy up, some changes to the "hygiene" arrangements and some heating (wood burning stove would be lovely) and it would be a lovely space.

20:10 20/10 2010 - what about 19/10/1910?

Did you know that 1st Weybridge Guide unit was formed, according to its certificate, on 19th October 1910? There is a belief that it was the 3rd unit formed in the UK. Who were the first and second, I wonder? So 2010 is also the Centenary of Guiding in Surrey (West).

9am BBC Radio Surrey Friday 31st July

If you read this in time, try to listen at 9 am to BBC Radio Surrey to hear one of our Channel Swimmers, Sarah Glenister, talking about the swim. Fantastic PR for us!

Back from holiday with a cold

I had a good week of quality time with Chris and Mark at Center Parcs last week - I watched more snooker than ever before.....or want to again. I arrived back to find several problems solved in my absence including complaints from Sheephatch Lane neighbours, appointment of a new County Administrator and some oher bits and bobs. Not that it means I have nothing left to do but after this week I have two weeks unpaid leave offered by my employer as a cost-saving measure - but very welcome when you have children. I have plenty of things to do before another week's holiday.

Nearly time for holiday

Today was my last day at work before holiday - but I still have work today to finish and will do this between interviews tomorrow. Tomorrow we are interviewing for Julie's replacement and then I am going to Sussex central's Annual Review. On Saturday evening we are going to a Russell Watson concert at Kenwood. I think I may go shopping on Sunday as my husband it at Lords then it is holiday for a week. I am looking forward to it.