Building

Forget...

the noise of the drill,
the dust causing the computer to crash,
the boots up and down stairs,
the crashes of radiators falling,
the where do you want your toilet roll holder put
the radios playing Magic
the open front door in February
the non flushing loo
the cold water in the bath
the boxes in the living room
the hand print on the walls
the trail of footprints on every floor
the getting a kettle of water from next door
the smell of plaster, paint and glue drying
the cooker, fridge and washing machine in the hallway
the temporary dumping ground of the communal balcony
the drilling, this time next door...

Its all worth it...not so much for the new kitchen and bathroom...but for the conversations neighbours are having in the street...

Trees for Cities

Summer last year began our relationship with Trees for Cities. We started with some workshops and activities about, yes you've guessed it - trees. Then we went to a local park Alton Green and the young people made suggestions as to how the area could be developed and where they thought trees, shrubs and flowers should go in the area. More recently the young people voted for the trees and shrubs they liked best, made some decorations for the tree guards and today we planted them with about 150+ volunteers from the community and Trees for Cities.

It was a great day - I even got some sun...I suppose you will after 6 hours outdoors under blue skies even in March. We dug up the ground, planted shrubs and trees, mulched (technical term for throwing bits of wet bits of tree bark around the tree, shrub and flower beds to keep in moisture and stop weeds growing!) and decorated the tree guards with the flowers we made and even showed some other young people how to make them (including a Caitlin & Francis).

On the day there were all kind of other activities including face-painting, wood carving, mask painting, games and fire making and weaving (Emma made a chicken from reeds, as you do - it only took her an hour!).

It was lovely to see so many people from the community out today in the sunshine, working and playing together, enjoying the day and making the world a better place.

Street Encounters in the Last 10 Days

1. He was thrashing a derelict building. I said Hi. He dropped his head so that his baseball cap peak hid his face. I haven't had that done to me before. It would have been ingenious had I not already known who it was.

2. She appeared on the platform, possibly with her boyfriend. We acknowledged each other. He asked her (supposedly out of my ear shot) who I was. I didn't hear what she said, but there was no avoiding each other as the train pulled in. She wore a summery smock dress. I looked at her and on my mind was - u look pregnant, I said: You look lovely. She beamed and breathed out, saying thanks for that, that's sweet of you and continued onto the train smiling. Whyever she was wearing that dress, she did look lovely.

3. On a bike he circled the 3 community police around his mate. I asked if his mate needed back-up. He told me no that they were questioning him about something he didn't do, so he should be ok. Around the corner I saw two girls trying to look casual in a neighbours front garden. We smiled at each other. A male voice from behind them calls my name and says hello. I see him half hidden. I didn't need to wonder why.

4. She called my name from across the road. She told me of her trip to Rome with her partner. They retraced the trip we had done years previously when she was a young person on one of our clubs residentials, even staying at the same youth hostel. As well as being a club member she used to also be a volunteer working with the younger children and now her full time job is still working with young people.

5. He stopped me in the street asking, can I have a word. He asked me what he should do if he is worried about how a child is being treated. I tell him what I think. He listens. His friend listens. We are all saddened by the world together. We all want it to be a better place and they want to do something about it.

6. She bumped into me in the market and said I hope you don't mind I put your name as a reference. I replied, not to worry, that she could use my name anytime she needed it. She was concerned to hear club was moving, when I said that we weren't she was relieved, despite the fact she hadn't been in years. She seemed to just need to know it was still there.

7. He says Hi while waiting for a train and rings me later saying that seeing me reminded him that he wanted to ask me if I would sign his photos again for his passport as he had lost the ones I had already signed. We arranged to meet twice before I did and after he realised he had given me a blue pen instead of the required black. He expected me to be at club every time he called there. I told him that despite some evidence to the contrary I didn't live there, I had a life outside club and arranged for him to come when I was there. He did and gave me the photo with the blue writing as a memento.

Sometimes it can take me an hour to walk the 7 minute walk from the club home. Sometimes I see things I don't want to or hear things I shouldn't. Whether they are young people who are current or past members of the club they are all part of my community and we are linked together even if only in terms of geography. We travel the same streets. And as Tennyson said:

I am a part of all that I have met.