Death of Liberty?

Last November we didn't get to plant out a Blueberry bush, Liberty, I got as present, from good friend Rachel. I think the frost's got it, but Nikki thinks leave another year and may come back.

I was going to hide it behind the runner beans, Nikki has put it with other pot plants near house to nurture.

I suppose it's good to keep hope, keep going, even when all hope seems lost. Nikki says 'put your phone down and get loading the dishwasher!'

Will update on liberty next year, if any change.

Sent from my BlackBerry smartphone from Virgin Media

Valuing our Parks

BOSF annual conference is fantastic, and even though our little patch behind Kings Heath Community Centre is only just able to be called an 'open space', and our group a tiny bunch of parents with children under 5, we've got a lot from the five years we have been members of BOSF.  I was particularly interested to hear how young people were using Parks in light of the new charges levied.

Friends of Parks have been around for a few years, and have been an extremely successful initiative in engaging local people to use and care for their local parks.  The concept of our parks, parks belonging to us, is being re-assessed locally and nationally.  What changes should we expect - is Wandsworth Council leading the way by charging for use of playgrounds?

This year, at least, Councillor Mullaney (responsible for Parks in Brum) made it to BOSF annual conference, but seemed to have prepared his speech for the wrong audience.  Vandalism, joy-riding, graffiti and prostitution do happen in our parks, but BOSF priorities (and rest of discussion on the day) are in the use of parks for all, not the abuse by a minority.

It is interesting (and I think worrying) Mullaney says our golf courses will be privatised as they are a cost burden.  He suggested this will mean more money for parks.  How easy would it be for our parks to similarly be considered a cost burden? Mullaney makes clear he is still willing to negotiate with any private business or voluntary body that may provide cost savings for park up-keep.

I don't think Parks are in danger of being sold off completely.  What is more in question is how much consideration is given to supporting all park users, or valuing the skills of what's left of our park service staff.

Robin Bryan, Customer Liaison & Constituency Manager, alienated his audience.  Same as last year, he presented results from the flawed survey BOSF had helped Park Services complete, presented as 'fact' to tell his audience what we think, and that we are actually blissfully happy with the ever improving Parks Service.  But even in this topsy-turvy world of 'consultancy' and 'listening' there were some interesting statistics.

30% cuts in staff costs, but he says no effect on service provision?

Huge drop in schools using parks since introducing charges for schools, but he says service provision same as before?

Are these efficiency savings, or a reduction in provision to some of the most in need?  We need to monitor, question and challenge changes in our parks provision.

More than ever our Parks needs its Friends, and we need BOSF.

Related articles

• Anger as children charged to play (mirror.co.uk)
• You: Tory council to charge children £2.50 for using playground (guardian.co.uk)
• Priced out of the playground: Tory Wandsworth to charge kids to play (leftfootforward.org)
• Penny-pinching Tories now taxing childhood (mirror.co.uk)

Woodchip Vigilante

Jago's Pirate treasure!

For the past year I've been harbouring a criminal - my son. It started as innocent playing around in the school playground. Then he'd have special items he'd bring home. Now it's daily pockets full of the stuff I'm pulling out to save our poor old washing machine.

It's nice stuff, too. Not the stuff you get free from the council on allotments, but washed, treated, splinter free -  you can pay £15 a bag for from garden centres.

A couple of weeks ago the reception play area was finally cordoned off with red and white tape. Initial thoughts were, what if all the children were taking woodchip? Did teaching staff uncover a tunnel? Was  my little Jago selling woodchip on black market?

Rumours among parents was fox poo in the play area, confirmed in school newsletter when it was announced woodchip was to be replaced by rubber.

As a parent, I can understand removal of poo is unpleasant, but how much of a risk is poo, which is afterall easily identified and removed in woodchip in the daily morning risk assessment schools carry out - (look for flies and signs of digging).

How effective is rubberising a playground in removing risks? Where there are foxes there will be rats, cats and they'll need to poo somewhere. Short of corking the wildlife, you will get poo in a playground.  Is rubberizing really safeguarding our children, or a token gesture? Do the children only play on a large plain of clean rubber, or will some find the holes in the hedge, the dark corners under a tree, or the small gap between the shed and the classroom?

We've got quite a collection of notes from school for injuries of ever kind. Undoubtedly the playground is by far the most dangerous place in the school, but bumps and grazes are as likely on rubber, woodchip, grass or (dare we think it!) any more natural surfaces.  I'm all for removal and management of risks but shouldn't we be looking to see what the children are doing on, or with, any surface before we remove it? Are we risking sanitising another area of school while all the children play elsewhere?

Long may our kids bring home their treasures of gravel, woodchip, twigs and funny bits of plastic, unwanted and sometimes a little grubby, and here's hoping they end up in our garden, and not the washing machine.


Sent from my BlackBerry smartphone from Virgin Media

I DO listen - the NHS, Lansley and my children

After a pleasant walk around Moseley Bog and Sarehole Mill, I was crossing the road with all three children...or I thought I was.

Steve Bell (Guardian) on Lansley's listening exercise
Guardian Comment Cartoon

When I looked back Jago was holding the camcorder up recording the rest of the family crossing.  I shouted at him from the middle of the road, putting us all in danger of being run over.  It was a bit unfair, because it was my fault I hadn't noticed Jago had let go of the pushchair.

Having crossed Wake Green Road fairly safely, we had a long discussion about importance of listening, again.  Put me in mind of Mr Lansley - I'll come back to that.   Listening is something that comes up a fair bit in our house.  I remember when Arthur was in Reception, his teacher had us check his hearing because she was concerned about his hearing.  There was nothing wrong - far from it.  Our children all seem to have an incredible ability to concentrate, to the exclusion of everything else.  Also they are all well adjusted and confident and believe in their own abilities.  So much so, it can be hard to discuss things with them sometimes.  Jago's response was, 'I did hear you, I just wanted to make a film.'  

Discussion continued, 'sometimes you need to listen to what other people are saying':

'I do listen, I just know better.'

Sometimes he does, it's true.  But if we either don't listen, or express ourselves (talk) then it all breaks down.  I guess I'm hitting on something Winston talks about on 'Child of our tiime' (and Winnicott 1964, 'The Child, the family, and the outside world') - Maybe Jago is still developing his ability to empathise.

So what's going on with Mr Lansley and the nurses?  What kind of 'listening' is happening?  I found Dr Nadig's listening categories on the net helpful.  Is it combative, passive, or reflective listening?  And who's doing what? Below is rough outline of who said what:

• Lansley reviews consultation with NHS staff for white paper (November 2010), 'This is about us [staff in NHS] deciding these things...They're starting to get that now...overwhelming the responses have been supportive of the strategy...some of the principles are very widely supported'. [if you follow no other link, try this one]
• Nurses invite Mr Lansley to attend the Royal College of Nursing's Congress.
• Mr Lansley decides to turn down invitation 
• Nurses - accusations that his promise to "listen" to health professional over NHS reforms was a "sham"
• Mr Lansley agrees to meets nurses at Royal College of Nursing's Congress, says he is sorry if he had failed to communicate what he set out to do.
• The Royal College of Nursing give health secretary Andrew Lansley a vote of no confidence.

Loads of listening, talking, but all the evidence points to a breakdown in understanding.  What Mr Lansley is saying to the nurses is:

'I DO listen.  I just know better.'

Related articles

• http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=4127593
• Lansley faces nurse confidence vote (mirror.co.uk)
• Andrew Lansley receives vote of no confidence from Royal College of Nursing (telegraph.co.uk)
• Lansley facing RCN confidence vote (mirror.co.uk)
• Nurses pass vote of no confidence in 'gutless' Health Secretary Andrew Lansley (dailymail.co.uk)
• Andrew Lansley: reforms must be right for NHS (telegraph.co.uk)
• Nurses pass vote of no confidence in Lansley (independent.co.uk)
• Lansley faces no confidence vote (mirror.co.uk)
• Andrew Lansley apologises to nurses after NHS health reforms no-confidence vote (dailymail.co.uk)
• Apologetic Lansley 'here to listen' (mirror.co.uk)
• Active Listening (annsopendoor.wordpress.com)
• Teaching Children to Think, Robert Fisher, 2005
• http://www.mediplacements.com/article-800500943-nurses_vote_no_confidence_in.html
• http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/13/andrew-lansley-sorry-to-nurses
• http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/listening-lansley-to-meet-nurses-after-all-2265444.html

There's no consultant in team

Unless you're in a team of consultants.  As creative partnerships draws to an end, more people in my team are calling themselves creative consultants.  I guess some people think of me as a consultant too, but there is something about it which has always made me uncomfortable.

We are 'creative agents', experienced creative professionals who are highly skilled in working in educational settings, acting as a 'critical friend' to schools.  But if a consultant is a professional who provides professional or expert advice (wiki), what's the difference?

As Creative Partnerships ends, so will the term 'creative agent', so what can I call myself so people know what I do?

First off, what does a consultant, or consultancy, look like?  Well, according to google image search, it's either something to do with a missing jigsaw piece, or two strong, white, masculine, suited hands shaking.

A consultant is someone you call on when you have a problem.  Maybe in a recession, one of the best businesses to be in is consultancy.  Consultants are brought in to research or solve a problem, but generally have no actual responsibility to implement the change advised.


That's what I am most uncomfortable with - consultants are not part of any team.  Even though I have been mostly self-employed now for a long time, I need to feel part of a group, team, whatever.  That's why I'm going back to calling myself 'Community Art Worker', even if Community is not a popular term anymore.  Truth is, it never really has been.  


Derived from 'common' its usage dates back to the middle ages, meaning simply 'those who share'.  As with common, it has been associated with ''normality', 'vulgarity', 'inferiority' and 'of low social status' (OED).  Google images of community are of people, lots of people, colour and loads of hands holding (not shaking), jigsaw pieces (clearly a lot of jigsaw fans out there), the odd wheelchair, bike, and not a middle-aged suited banker in sight.


Even in 1970s, the heyday for 'community art', it was seen as, 'a kind of folksy Marxism' (J. Pick, 1980).  Pick goes on to say community art workers 'use the means of expression excluded by too haughty definitions of the 'arts'.  In this the word community returns to its former meaning, that of purposeful amateur activity.'


Socially responsible, sharing, amateur - doing it for the love of it.  I feel like I'm getting back to words I can happily stick my name to.  It's cheesy in buckets, and I'm not so keen being called 'average', 'vulgar' or 'inferior', but at least I'm not a consultant.

Dress to Impress

It's Friday night, and I've popped out of my wife's birthday party for twenty minutes and come back with a well dressed mannequin under my arm.  I knew I would get all clever comments, 'found a younger model?'...so on, but couldn't risk leaving her in the pub car park where we leave our car.

Arthur and Jago also want to pose with the dress

The dress is made entirely from reused and recycled materials, mostly plastic bags, and is one of several stunning outfits made by students from Selly Park Technology College for Girls.  It is clearly labelled promoting our fashion show in June - Nikki's fortieth party was an impromptu venue, one of many to come, where the outfit has and will be admired.

I had just picked it up from the University of Birmingham Fair Fashion Show, the last event in a series they have run throughout fairtrade fortnight.  A group from Selly Park Technology College  had taken a backstage tour and interviewed the organisers and models earlier that day, including the maker of the dress.  While we were there, a couple of people visiting the universit show posed with the mannequin and took photos - excellent that among all the dresses and outfits of the university students, our dress had been spotted, and the maker was there to see it!

The dress will next be appearing in the shop window of the People shop on Poplar road, then at several events to celebrate 100 years of the school, and be worn as part of the Fashion Show the college is arranging later this year.  Allison Sadler owns the shop with her partner, Christian, and is working with students at Selly Park to run their own fashion show.

Early draft of fashion show logo

Earlier in the week I accompanied Jude Thomas from CCE (who funds our funders, Creative Partnerships) to visit Selly Park and to talk to some of the staff and students there.  Another mannequin is, of course, waiting in the reception to greet visitors.  We have a conversation with several confident young people, each able to describe the project clearly, its aims, and demonstrate how much the young people are making decisions on our show in collaboration with teaching staff and creative practitioners (as well as making the dresses and hats).

The dress demonstrates the skills and creativity of the young people involved, and the teaching staff and creative practitioner working with them.  More than that, where the mannequins visit are a physical presence, in school and elsewhere, valuing our young people, their work and values (the students have chosen to explore recycling and sustainability in their outfits) both in and outside the school.  Look out for a mannequin near you.

Liebster Blog Award

Thank you so much Katy for my first blog award:

I couldn't help spending a good couple of hours researching what exactly it was, and chuffed to be a part of it all. I have:

1) Create a post on my blog and add the Liebster blog image.

2) Link back to the person who gave me the award and say if  I accept.

3) Chosen 3-5 of my favourite blogs, linked to these in my post and told lucky bloggers that they've been tagged.

The aim of this award is to bring lesser known but good blogs to light (lucky bloggers, please tag bloggers with less than 300 followers).

Following the grand lineage of my award - through a range of Mum bloggers, quilters, a few artists, back to a range of nail and makeup artists in Germany, late December 2010 - furthest back I got was http://tinnymey.blogspot.com/, unless I made fatal click error, and my blog lineage is a sham...Anyone actually figure out where this award started, please let me know.

I also had to do random survey of blogs on blogger (next blog, next blog, so on).  Firstly I was surprised how few work or business related sites there were, and how many blog entries feelin' the love of the blog, about family, all about me, my suffering, my faith, so on.  A bit like the intro and end to 'Love Actually', where sometimes you focus so much on the money grabbing, fearful, brutal world, you miss the other bits.

Also made me realise just how many small blogs I miss out on (and need to start following - thanks again Katy - great blogs you're following, and you'd be on list if you weren't already a Liebster).  Anyway, I would like to nominate the following blogs for a Liebster Blog:

http://frogphilp.blogspot.com/ - teacher journeying through creativity and stuff

http://lovekingsheath.co.uk/  - a newish local site for local people

http://ictelt.blogspot.com/ - ICT enhanced learning from Hazel in New Zealand

http://helgahenry.com/blog - Work to your heart's content

http://www.archivesnext.com/ - What comes next in archives