Residents Conference 2011

 

What a very emotive statement ,I know I care ,and that has it's own rewards ,people usually care back , the only draw back is the hurt you feel when people let you down .I don't understand people who say 'I don't care',what ! don't they feel? are they numb ? I start off liking everyone and am not often let down , but when I am, then I hurt !. Gosh the above picture really evoked some  food for thought .......

So what has all that got to do with this post ? Well.. erm ..nothing at all ! This entry is another flash back , Last October we held our annual Residents Conference,and the attendance was the best yet.With an agenda to keep everyone interested all day,We started off hearing about the companies plans for the year ahead from Alan our chief executive .Question time was a lively affair with questions to the executive team from the residents .We had breaks in the foyer area with stands bearing lots of information that was helpful and relevent to our residents,We also had a stall that was laden with hobbies, craft and hand work that our clever residents were keen to show off ,I am so sorry my battery died so I only took a very few pictures .We were entertained by Staff and residents alike ,here you see The Sheltered Housing Manager Denise ,singing some great blues number ,

   

Oh look there is Tracey our resident Inclusion manager and I,Tracey is a very hard working and supportive  young lady to our residents group (ARF)

During the whole day we had a very talented cartoonist doing charicatures of any one who wanted to sit for their picture,here is Maurice !

And Moi ! 

Well that was  in October ,and now here we are in April ,as the saying goes 'doesn't time fly when you are having fun ?'

So on that happy note,I hope you are managing to dodge  these April showers
                                                         ,and as ever love Jan xx

Just like waiting for a bus ,wait forever ,then they come along together !

Are we superstitious ?..nahh.

As I say in my title,My entry's ,are much like buses, you wait around for ages then ,two/three come along at once ,I have to admit I am finding the new style blogger so much easier,much better to add pictures as you go along,rather than start at the end ,I do like to add pictures to my entry's,because I like the pix in other journals. And do like to add an opening graphic ,a habit dating back from dear old J-Land .

I am going to do a more current entry today,though will still 'play catch up' if you don't mind old news  another time.

And you can't get more current than todays copy of the Peterborough Evening Telegraph,I hope if you click on the picture above it will tell the story . 

And the winners for this category are...................  Axiom Housing Association

Yes we won the Central Region TPAS (Tenant Particiption Advisory Service) Award for Excellence in Annual Reports,for the publication,which was produced in collaboration with residents,

This report is primarily for tenants,and is an annual regulatory requirment for all Housing Associations to produce  with involvement from it's tenants  

Axiom's musical theme was first created for it's 2009-2010 annual report and it was the organisation's decision to build on this,combined with involvement  from residents it 'struck the right cord with the judges '

This the regional award ,so proud to get my hands on it ,Look out Grand finals in Birmingham in June ,

Axiom are coming !

Here is Angela and me with Paul Wogan,who arranged the work shop we did last year ,He was in the audience ,when he heard the announcement of our win ,came over to congratulate us

Here are Luke and Alan ,they live in a Foyer ,near Gainsborough ,and were highly commended for the youth work their group had achieved .Well done, so nice to see some really nice young uns being recognised  for the good they do .

Well Thats it for this time folks,no prizes for guessing what day I started this entry?,also still no prize if you can guess the colour of the lining of my 'little grey dress' !

So as ever Love from

Now, where was I ?

I know Easter has gone but you can't blame these little girls for continuing to wear their charming Easter bonnets,thank you again Sugar for todays graphic ,I really couldn't wait a whole year to use it . Some of you asked what I have been doing all these months,so to address this I will make some random posts ,In order to catch up a bit.

In September Maurice had a Birthday

Then later in the month,Jean my sister and her husband Pete ,(Maurice was at work )and I went to plough Sunday,at the Rural museum in our town 

Beautiful Shire Horses ,with the ploughmen vieing with each other to plow the straightest furrow,these two handsome beasts enjoyed some Fox's Glacier mints ,I found at the bottom of my bag ,brave on lookers were invited to have a go at driving the plow and team,only to realise how difficult it could be .

This little chap was with the farrier

 

Look at the beautiful array of horse brasses

No queue for this loo !

Whoops!

A lovely country dance team ,we spent ages watching these ladies and Gentlemen

They were called the 'Heartsease dancers ',hence the pretty hand embroidered Pansies on the front of their Aprons

And here is Jean trying her luck at hoop la ,unfortunately she didn't win one of those flying pigs

Well I guess that is a few high lights from September ,I will be back soon to catch up on my absence .

Mean while, as ever my love, and for now  byeee

Jan  xx

My Good Friday,The Day they crucified our Lord

 Good Morning,Easter Blessings to every one,and my thanks to dear Sugar,over there in Texas USA for the amazing graphic and I might add ..the inspiration to post this entry on my blog,

As you will probably remember from last year ,The silent walk of witness,that takes place in our town each Good Friday,once again I joined, I imagine about two hundred people,me on the trusty Buggy,I couldn't possibly walk right through the town to the Church ,St Thomas a Beckett,we were so blessed the sun shone (though nippy)so we were able to enjoy the open air service on the green in front of the church (if wet the service would have been in Church )       

Who remembers Serendipity ....and Jan ?

Hi Every one ,   Hmm blogger has changed ,and since I havent posted since last September, I feel as though Im in a strange place ,I am doing a little trial run,so bear with me! I'm not sure how this will look ,its all so confusing ,why oh why do people need to reinvent the wheel?.

As I say I havent posted for ....oh dear! seven months ! So if this works then I will do a fuller account of the last few months within the next few days ,Hey I might find I like the new method ,mean while Have a Blessed Easter day tomorrow ,and enjoy all those choccy eggs

       With Love Jan xx

TEN YEARS .....

  When journalists were invited to do a dedication,to a victim of 9/11 to mark the aniversary five years ago,I thought about it and decided I would like to pay a tribute ,to one of these brave people ,It , however become a very moving thing to do ,and as I  researched this my heart  become heavier and heavier ,John has become so real to Maurice and I, of course we couldnt know him ,but it so important,to bear in mind ,many people did know and love him and be mindful of their grief ,then and now.
 Nearly 3000 people perished on that awful day...... John was one of,that number  !  And now ten years on I still hold this man in a very special place in my heart

He was a married man,with two daughters ,how they must miss him .He was fourty nine.

Here is part of my entry....

There has been alot of TV coverage ,on the disaster that started the millenium off. and we have been watching it all ,The New york fire Brigade had been featured on a film some Rooky firemen were making at the time ,and as it coincided with the disaster they decided to carry on ,and as you see from the above pictures John's picture was also featured .Here is the tribute left by his wife
John Santore

World Trade Center

Spoiling the Girls

When the Santores traveled, a few things always accompanied them: candles and two Champagne glasses wrapped in a towel. The candles were store-bought; the glasses were a relic. They were the same glasses John A. Santore and Frances Scarselli used to drink to their happiness the night he asked her to marry him. Mr. Santore asked the waiter if he could keep them.

Both the candles and the glasses were necessary tools for Mr. Santore, a firefighter with Ladder Company 5 on Staten Island, the father of two girls, 20 and 13, and a romantic.

"He would set the table with the candles and the flowers and the wine and then cook for us," Mrs. Santore said. "We are three girls in the home, so he would always spoil us."

On weekend mornings, Mr. Santore would run to a deli to buy coffee and croissants for the family so they would not have to cook. During the week, he would often surprise his wife with a bunch of wildflowers.

When someone mentioned the need for a maritime museum on Staten Island to honor John Noble, a famed local artist, Mr. Santore, 49, formed what he called the Noble Crew to build it, his wife said.

"He was wonderful with his hands," she said. `There was nothing he couldn't do."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES

John it was my honor to be assigned to you ,as my victim you became my hero,and I shall think of you often ,and I send very special love to your wife Frances and your daughters

......Jan xx

  

Petanque and...The Forties weekend

A busy week end,which in honour of The J-Land aniversary I want to share with you all. On Thursday evening I had my annual Board member assessment ,which went well .

Above is a picture of Humphrey,introducing what was to be a marvelous afternoon . But I'm getting ahead of myself ~One of the committees I am on, decides how a community fund ,set aside by the company, can best provide something that would better the lives of the residents ,this must have been one of the biggest projects so far ,but what a success ,it has proved to be .....At one of our sheltered schemes for the elderly,(a beautiful old property ,converted into flats and set in the most beautiful grounds)

A few years ago a resident there saw an advert for a set of Boules in the local paper ,they were as new,so Ruth bought them ,and since then they played on the grass.....until their scheme manager suggested they apply through community grant system for a boule piste to be built ,we in due course approved the idea,.....So below you see a picture of Ruth on the left,next to the Mayor of Huntingdon who cut the ribbon to officialy open the piste On Friday afternoon,Next to him is Stella who is their teacher and trainer ,and then the head of the council .

We all had a little turn,and it proved to be so much fun we all want to learn and play ,Hmmm I forsee some matches coming up ......

I was proud of this picture see how the boules have just left their hands !

Below see Stuart ,our ops Director ,trying to beat Ruth

Isnt it great ?

My sister Jean had a birthday yesterday so of course I made her a cushion Now every year at this time our litte Market town turns back the clock ,and we have a fortys weekend ,so as I was shopping yesterday I'snapped' a few people ,who I encountered

An American officer and his lady

This chap told me he was riding a Belgium Amy bike called a monarch .

And here is his lady who was happy to pose for me

And here is my friend Jane getting into the spirit of things .

Jane is the chair person of the Ramsey intiative ,and works hard for our town .And below the ladies in the charity shop having lots of fun ,lots of fortys music playing

So there you have it !Have a Blessed Sunday everyone ,with a good week to follow,and as ever love from Jan xx....and Kizzie!!