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Good morning [Jul. 3rd, 2008|10:01 am]
Woke up to a number of positive developments.

You might remember me ranting about a meeting where the 'Voluntary-Statutory Partnership Group' had managed to exclude all but one voluntary representative. I was so incensed that I put a question about it at the end of the presentation and it was picked up well by other delegates in the workshops.

Anyway - a few mini-meetings later and they have increased the voluntary representation from 1 person to 3! :D

Similarly, a sub-group has increased it's representation from 2 to 5!

We get somewhere at last.

Even funnier is that some of the charities I've been working with on this are now referring to me in official e-mails as 'the young mover from ECORRN' :D

We also have some pictures of sample items collected during the ARU choose2reuse event. See below cut:

Read more... )
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[Jun. 29th, 2008|10:27 pm]
There's nothing more depressing than something that is supposed to be uplifting, but isn't. I can only come up with 1 thing that's likely to be unique to me, and even that has probably been done by someone else.
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[Jun. 28th, 2008|09:16 pm]
Just did another 3 hours! Have managed to clear half the plot from carpet and wood, and have reduced the weeds in that area to ground level.

They still need spraying, rotavating and covering.

Then there is the other half... :D


I enjoyed the fact that I achieved just as much, on more difficult ground, as somone using a strimmer on another plot. Plus I prefer the sound of shears over a motorised hum.
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[Jun. 28th, 2008|03:04 pm]
[mood | Eager]

Two hours on the allotment :D

And I think I have heat stroke. :D

I also have three sacks of rubbish, yet you still can't see that anything has been done. :D

On the plus side it looks like two of the old fashioned compost sets are salvageable - one even has halfway decent compost in. The other seems to have been composting plastic sacks?

I met the guy who is taking over the other derelict plot. Lucky sod has been left half a dozen of the preformed raised beds. Worth a fortune and make life so much easier. I'm going to have take away all the bits of wood used for mine - half of them crumble when you touch them! That's when you can find them among the weeds of course.

This is going to be a lengthy project.
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[Jun. 27th, 2008|09:55 pm]
[mood | accomplished]

I've been running a Choose2Reuse event at the local university. We have three branded bins which are put somewhere prominent for one day and staff come along and put donations for charity shops in them.

I totalled up the items today against an estimated price provided by the association of charity shops.

It raised £1 252.60!

What's more - they are keeping the bins over this week as the students vacate their halls of residence and are encouraging them to leave good quality items in the bins rather than throw them away. This is especially good for the International Students who can't fly them home.

They're also talking about doing this on an annual basis - and even having some stalls at Freshers Fair so we can sell the novelty items to the new students when they arrive in Autumn.

Result!
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Hurrah! [Jun. 27th, 2008|09:53 pm]
[mood | cheerful]

I took possession of the keys to my allotment today!

It's utterly overgrown with weeds (mainly bindweed and thistles!); has masses of old carpet, broken glass and rotten wood; and the sheds seem to be in an advanced state of collapse.

This should be fun :D
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Meme [Jun. 26th, 2008|06:42 pm]
The Big Read is designed by pretentious snobs who don't understand the definition of 'book' singular.
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[Jun. 26th, 2008|06:08 pm]
Thursdays are much worse than Mondays. Contrary to popular opinion.
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[Jun. 23rd, 2008|06:49 pm]
Is it Saturday yet?
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3 funerals later... [Jun. 21st, 2008|05:11 pm]
[mood | excited]

I registered my interest in an allotment as soon as I move here nearly 3 years ago. I was told I was third in line.

Since then most of the methods of contacting me have changed and, since I'd heard nothing, I'd assumed they had tried to contact me and then offered it to someone else when I didn't respond.

Today, however, a contract for an allotment dropped through my door. Even better - I get it rent free until 1st April 2009 as apparently they can only charge rent on that one day. Bizarre system but I won't complain.

Now I have to wonder if I can keep up an allotment.
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Gah [Jun. 19th, 2008|05:47 pm]
[mood | shocked]

I've been shortlisted for the Office of the Third Sector posts. Interview on 1st July.
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[Jun. 16th, 2008|08:07 am]
[mood | sympathetic]

Yesterday I went along to the gym as usual to find it the entrance all sealed up with tape - no explanation or anything. As I was driving out I saw something that looked like a bunch of flowers, but it was indistinct and could really have been anything.

Unfortunately, it was a bunch of flowers. A child died there yesterday. :(
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Result! [Jun. 13th, 2008|02:57 pm]
[mood | productive]

I finally have internet connected in my new office!

Of course, first things I've done is install MSN Messenger and post on here...


On an unrelated note - I really need to get a better set of mood icons...
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[Jun. 12th, 2008|10:48 pm]
If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want -- good or bad. When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people remember about you.
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[Jun. 12th, 2008|07:05 pm]
If you haven't been reading enough to know then shame on you...

Taken from everybody Please copy mine below, erase my answers putting yours in their place then post it in your journal! Please elaborate on the questions that would benefit from elaboration! One-word answers seldom help anyone out."

Read more... )
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[Jun. 10th, 2008|09:52 pm]
[mood | Chuffed]

Big 'Partnership' event today, except it was purely local authorities.

I actually got the courage to stand up and challenge this.

All 7 other charities present came up afterwards and congratulated me on raising the issue. Also all the Councillors present then stood up after the workshops (which all appeared to say that there should be more community involvement!) and echoed the point, so it will have to be included.

Quite proud of myself, especially as there were more experienced charity reps present.
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[Jun. 8th, 2008|05:24 pm]
Back from sailing.

Didn't fall in. Am sunburned. Stormy weather going out, to the extent that one of the sails blew out. I now feel like a proper sailor - I had oilskins and all :D
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Harmony-seeking Idealistic Sheep [Jun. 8th, 2008|12:24 pm]
My personality type: the harmony-seeking idealist. Take the free iPersonic personality test!
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[Jun. 7th, 2008|06:59 am]
Launch went very well yesterday. I'm getting much more confident at public speaking and I think they liked what I said. Only downside was that everyone wanted to talk to me afterwards as a result so I didn't get any of the buffet!

Off sailing soon. Weather forecast - lots of rain. May not be so great. I've packed about 0 layers. Fortunately it doesn't sound like it will be very rough. Will be nice to see the association again. I haven't made any of the meets for about a year, but my old Chairman kept ringing me up to make sure I came to this one, which is exceedingly nice of him.
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[Jun. 4th, 2008|06:55 am]
More sleep please.

I think I'm going to have to give in and have some blinds or something put in the bedroom. Apparently dawn even on severely over-clouded days (ie All of them) is enough to wake me at 4am.

I so want to go back to bed. I won't even be able to relax at the weekend as I'm going sailing, which means a 6.30 start eac day to catch tides.

I am going to be so dead next week.
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