Nurture1415

For the last few years I’ve looked back at particular highlights of the year just passed and also used it as a chance to consider some of my hopes for the coming year. It’s interesting to look back now over three years to see how life has changed, and now here my #nurture1415 post.

My quick reflection on 2014 highlights

Significant Birthday
I started the year with a significant birthday and I didn’t flip out. I fact I had one of the best days ever with lovely family, friends, cake (natch) and fizz. It’s a shame everyday can’t be like this one.

Benfest
Mr B also had a significant birthday, so we held BenFest in the back garden. Music, food, booze, and a bouncy castle, with family, friends and bouncing children.

6-7 year old
My beautiful little boy is growing up fast. I am proud of him every single day. I love being his mum.

Holiday
We’ve always holidayed on a shoe string, never been very flash with accommodation we’ve chosen. Never had overly exotic holidays but this year we went for it – by our standards. It was lush, relaxing, great family time.

Parish Councillor
I was asked to be Vice Chair of our Parish Council (I think the others said no), and was voted in. I’m really enjoying being #cllrkate

Running club
A women’s beginners running club was started on the village. I’m not even that, more a shuffle to a walk, but go every now and again and I’m pleased that I actually made the effort to rise from the sofa.

Channel Shove
I didn’t blog much last year, but I did write one which questioned if some councils were shoving rather than shifting customers to alternative channels – and the phrase Channel Shove was born. I’m taking credit for it.

Unconference Camping
I also attended a couple of unconferences this year. One was around channel shift in York hosted by the amazing Nick Hill and others at Public Sector Customer Service Forum. If you’re interested in channel shift defo try and get yourself to one of the channel shift camps. I also attended Local Gov camp and was so glad I did. A special highlight was also being in the same room as Martin Howitt again.

CommsCamp
This needs its own bullet point. It was a great day. Aside from all of the learning, and there was a lot of learning, there was much laughing, networking, friendships, tunes, glow in the dark trainers, fundraising and cake. All of which leads to a positivity I wish I could bottle and keep forever.

Early Help for Families
There was a significant change to our work this year. We continue to providing information, support and assistance to families but the nature of enquiries has changed. It’s a really good move. It uses our skills, it uses our knowledge, it isn’t duplicating. It’s been a great year at work, and this is mainly down to the team I work with and knowing that we can help parents and children.

Village Field
We have a privately owned filed in our village, which the whole village use. It’s also the school playing field, but it was all on a word of mouth agreement and when the owner died it was eventually put up for sale – with a guide price of £200,000. As a parish council we called a meeting, and over 90 people turned up (we usually get 0-1 people attending our meetings). Thankfully the view was we need to secure the field for village use. In a few weeks the sale of the field will go through, and I am proud to have been a small part in securing this community asset.

Hopes for 2015

Weekly Blog Club
I’m over the moon that WBC has started up again. It was the reason I started to blog. I helped out occasionally too but if it wasn’t for the hard work and dedication of Janet Davis it would never have made it to its third year. I hope I can help more and I hope I blog more.

7-8 year old
I’m excited to see how he grows and changes over the next 12 months.

Family/Friend Time
More of this please.

Fitness
I’ve re-joined the gym. #FitnotFat

A Job
This year will see my 14th anniversary working for the same service, and although the role has changed beyond what it was, it still feels odd saying I’ve been doing what I’ve been doing for 14 years. I hope to still have a job at the end of the year. There will be more change, of course, and I don’t mind that, but I want to continue to support families and their children.

So, that’s it. Thanks for reading.

Kate
7th January 2015