One aspect of having more time in a day is the opportunity to take a greater interest in the garden. It may sound odd, to anyone who knows me, but I am taking delight in nurturing seeds and growing herbs from scratch. But as someone with no previous interest or experience in such pursuits I am having to appreciate that it takes time and patience to get results.
There are several parallels between my new found horticultural interests and my efforts to nurture 'shared reading aloud groups' in my local area. I am spending a lot of my time explaining the simplicity of the approach (sewing the seed) and running taster sessions with staff teams (tending the soil) at the voluntary organisations I am depending upon to help me get the groups operational. But it seems that this approach is finally starting to bear fruit. Within the next couple of months 'shared reading aloud' groups will be operational in two community centres in MK, my local library and at day centres and groups run by Age UK in Northamptonshire.
In the same way that my coriander flourished once I'd moved it to the herb box, I am hoping that these fledgling groups will soon be running themselves. As I sat in the office of a community centre manager this afternoon I spotted a large quotation scrawled on his notice board - 'With confidence, you have won before you have started'. Marcus Garvey '
I am confident these groups will flourish!
