Hastings Remembers (Pt. 2)

So readers, you've just heard and seen all about Saturday in London, now I move on to Sunday and our own Festival in Hastings at The White Rock Theatre.

This, unlike the Albert Hall, is something that has been a labour of love in my house for many months in the run up to November. There is entertainment to source, the programme to design, song choices to be made, cadets to organise and much more besides.
 Now, Remembrance Sunday in Hastings takes the form of two parades: one in the morning and one in the evening. We didn't attend the morning as we got back from London very late indeed! But I took cares to visit Alexandra Park in the weeks that followed to photograph the War Memorial and a rather unusual phenomenon.

 

Now the credit for this stranger phenomenon, which I'll show you below, goes to person or persons unknown! No one has any idea who did this:

If you look closer you will see that there are nearly 400 of these poppies attatched to the tree. There is one for every serviceman and woman who has been killed fighting in Afghanistan. Each poppy has the name and the date of death of one young person. What are your thoughts on this method of commemoration? I rather like it. I think it is striking yet oddly passive: you can pass it and only take in the bigger picture or you can stop and take a closer look, seeing the individual components.The people behind the politics, the real lives beyond the media story.

 

As for the evening, it was a great success with more people than ever attending - around 500! We were selling the programmes and can testify to the fact that there was a lot of activity and hype from very early on in the evening and it is great to see so many of the young people being involved in remembrance and commemoration. We begin with the entertainment; the singalong and performances by the Sea Cadets and St Paul's School, then move in to the Service and Dedication.

Next year I think we should aim to have a sellout show - its the least we can do to support the RBL. I would like to be on the sub-committee that organises it this year, but we don't get the chance to stand until December/January time. In the meantime I've been asked to fill the position of Publicity Officer for our local branch, so I need to consider that possibility too!

Here's one of my pics from the Festival:

 

All in all, I want to thank and publically blog my respects for everyone who donated to this year's Poppy Appeal in Hastings and St Leonards and to all of those who support the work of the Legion all the year round. Together (which is the best way!) we raised £53,000 to help serving and ex-service people and their families. Here is where the money goes: http://www.britishlegion.org.uk/support-us/how-to-give/where-your-money-goes

We remain proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with all who serve.

London Pride (Pt. 1)

Hello everybody, so its time to tell you the story of my Remembrancetide.

So we were in London on the Saturday afternoon. The first thing we did was to eat at TGIs and then took a taxi ride to The Royal Albert Hall. I have to say that the taxi ride cost me a lot of money, but the route has its splendid parts: taking us past Buckingham Palace and along the Mall and then Kensington Gore.

As we approached the Albert Hall, we first of all began to see increasingly large groups of people clutching programmes, sporting ornate poppies and lots of medals. They had just left the afternoon performance! Then we saw barriers - they lined both sides of the road and prevented anyone stopping or getting near the RAH. At either ends of the approach were white marquees and armed policemen lined the pavements and roads.
Disembarking from the taxi, we headed for the marquee where we passed through a metal detector and had our bags searched. All of these measures in place, of course, because HM The Queen and the rest of the Royal Family would be in attendance. Chris had already informed me that mobile phone jamming may be in place so we were constantly texting back and forth to try and arrange where to meet! We were part of a swelling crowd outside of Door 6, which is right opposite the Royal College of the Arts where the participants in the Festival were being fed and rested.

We could see several different types of military personnel milling around amongst the armed police and in the dusk, with the RAH backlit and crowds growing outside, the atmosphere was laced with expectation, sobriety and cameraderie.

Once inside there was a stand selling all kinds of Poppy merchandise and we took time to browse and see all the different ways that the RBL are trying to raise money. Then we met up with Chris!!! Now it has been 3 whole years since I've actually seen Chris and we couldn't believe we had left it that long. We got a drink from the bar and headed up to the gods to marvel at the architechture of the building. This will give you an idea of what its like looking down from way up high

Awesome eh?

The wonderous first sight of the Hall and being reunited with my dear old friend was a great start to the evening. We caught up, checked out the seating arrangements and I was treated to some inside gossip on Katherine Jenkins before I had to go and take my seat and Chris had to change etc. Then on with the show!!

The full muster after the poppy petals have fallen with the drumhead altar, book and torch of Remembrance, Queen's Colour & RBL National Standard. The children present the poppy posy to the RBL National President.

Needless to say, we were NOT meant to be taking pictures, but I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to capture Chris on camera, so these are the fruits of my labour.

Highlights of the Festival for me (there are a LOT):
O Seeing Chris take part in the muster
O Seeing the Chelsea Pensioners and War Widows and the response from the audience towards them
O Being part of such a large group singing the National Anthem and hymns
O Seeing Alfie Boe and the Band of HM Royal Marines perform "Over the Hills"
O Seeing the Military Wives Choir and Gareth Malone perform "Wherever You Are"
O Watching the Poppy Petals fall

Both of these amazing videos are worth a watch and the Military Wives Choir single is definately worth a download or two!

Wathing th ewhole thing back again on the TV completed the experience and I got to see Chris twice! You can't beat being there though and I would almost certainly go again. I would choose different seats though - as you see from the pics, we were rather off to one side. Much to my outrage we were directly above The Queen, so never even saw her for a second. Still, it did feel like everyone was singing towards us!!

Chris was also on parade at the Cenotaph the following morning and so my eyes were peeled for him there too! Overall the visit to London and to the Festival of Remembrance did fill me with pride: of our nation, of its Armed Forces; of the individuals who value service rather than self.

SOS!!

SOS: Support our soldiers!

Another British soldier has been killed in Afghanistan this week. As we honour those who have fallen on the battlefield, we can also support the men and women still serving.

By Jan Bird - Saturday 05 Nov 2011

A soldier from the 2nd Battalion, the Mercian Regiment is the latest British military casualty in Afghanistan. He has been named as Private Matthew Haseldin, aged 21, who had only been deployed to Afghanistan in September having joined the army in February. He was shot dead whilst on patrol in Helmand province on 3 November, bringing the total number of British military deaths in Afghanistan to 384, since “Operation Enduring Freedom” began 10 years ago in 2001.
Lieutenant Colonel Colin Marks, commanding officer of 2 Mercian Regiment, paid tribute to the young soldier, describing him as “hugely popular”. He continued:

“… it was impossible to tell that he was the newest member of 7 Platoon, all of whom loved him like a brother. One of the team, Matthew was at the centre of most things and enjoyed a game of cards during precious rest periods. Steadfast in battle, Matthew faced more challenges in the few short weeks he spent in Helmand than many soldiers experience in a lifetime. He died standing firm in the face of a determined enemy, in the highest traditions of The Mercian Regiment.”

As Remembrance Day approaches, it’s time for all of us, whatever our opinions about war in general or this conflict in particular, to pause and reflect on the lives lost in past and present campaigns and on the sacrifices our soldiers make on a daily basis. Wherever you come from, geographically or figuratively, it’s undeniable that these men and women are doing difficult, dangerous jobs in places most of us would avoid. We should salute them for it and we should say “thank you” far more often.
That’s why I’m so thrilled to have found an organisation that helps UK residents support our soldiers serving in Afghanistan and in other conflict zones. Called “Adopt a Squaddie” (using a British slang word for a soldier), it enables individuals and groups to support serving soldiers with letters and parcels from their home country.
It’s tough to imagine when we’re in our comfortable houses, perhaps enjoying time with our kids, what it’s like being thousands of miles from home, away from your family and under constant threat of attack. I complain about not having a day job but I’m not patrolling streets under threat of sniper fire, or risking my life to save others by defusing a roadside bomb.
Imagine coming back to barracks, exhausted, filthy and hungry, perhaps in shock having lost a friend during the day and finding that someone you don’t know has sent you a parcel with a few special treats and basic necessities from home. These are items that individually may cost little but which, to a serving soldier, will mean the world. That box says someone gives a damn about you even if they don’t know you, someone who recognises your sacrifice and your bravery and wants to say “thank you”.
I’ve already been shopping and packed a box. Mine contains:

• A book of number and word puzzles, pens and playing cards
• Sweets (candy) and gum – not just for comfort but essential for dry, dusty conditions
• Handwarming pads
• Razors, shaving balm, spare toothbrushes and toothpaste
• Ketchup and instant chocolate drinks – a taste of home
• Wet wipes – highly prized given the sand and dust
• Nail brushes and cotton buds
• Glucose tablets

I’ve already bought enough for two boxes!
If you’re not a UK resident and you wish to support troops from your own country, there are organisations operating a similar service which you can easily find on the internet. Do consider supporting such organisations even if you’re not from a military family. I don’t have close relatives serving but that doesn’t make any difference to me. They’re all out there doing a job on our behalf, a job most of us wouldn’t do.
These brave men and women go where their government points them and do their job without question. As we remember their fallen colleagues, so we also remember those still serving. They deserve our support, our kindness and our appreciation.

 This is an article written by Jan Bird, a member of Adopt a British Squaddie, a group that I am proud to be a member of. To date I have adopted 5 squaddies and it is amazing to support these men & women who are doing such an immense job so far away from home.

Without a doubt, visit the website www.adoptabritishsquaddie.co.uk to find out more. They desparately need more adopters, so you should totally sign up and do it if you are able and willing.

Big, small, everchanging worlds...

Hello peeps,

Happy Halloween to you all. Hope you had a scary day! Tomorrow is the first of November and partly because I had a little epiphany the other morning whilst reading two other blogs in bed and partly because I don't like the whole one blog a month thing: I'm blogging!

Let me start with my epiphany: as I said, I was reading two blogs. Both are written by girls called Joy both of whom are doing amazing things to serve God and others where they are. To cut a long thought short, they two blogs just really made me realise that I had fallen in to the trap of having a very small world view.
My world is limited to Beauport, Argos and my house and my world view was the same. I read the news on a daily basis - I like current events and the they interest me, but my world view is so small!

Joy 1 as I'll call her here is doing the Soul 61 Programme with Soul Survivor and was getting really excited about getting an evangelism placement. I just thought wow, how (un)important is evangelism to me right now? She's also getting some seriously good training from that church which will reallly set her up for a good many paths!
Joy 2 also has a blog and she was reflecting on a film she has seen recently called The Help. These were her thoughts after watching it:
"In 50 years, when someone looks back at my generation, what will they see as unforgivable? Will they wonder what possessed us to use the limited resources on our planet so selfishly? Or will they ask how we could have merrily popped along to the supermarket to buy a bag of groceries grown by slaves? Or will it be something else – something I cannot see? Something I would even be foolish enough to argue in favour of? I want to be a prophet in my time, bringing to the fore the injustices we fail to see, the ones the World will one day look back in horror and ask “How could they have just let it happen?”"
and those thoughts impressed me a lot. What do I stand up for? What do I believe in? What injustices am I either endorsing or working to repeal? Challenging!

So those girls really made me stop and think, and also wonder, about my life. How worthy is it? I know, and remain convinced, that I am in the place God wants to me to be. However, he is not a puppeteer God, he gives us free reign to bring about His Kingdom however we like - using our gifts and talents. So I need to keep remembering some old advice: it is God's job to look inwards, it is ours to look upwards. Then when we see Him, to follow His gaze outwards.

Global events this year such as the death of Osama bin Laden and Col Gaddafi, are real moments in history and it made me think even more, how will those events and our actions - and those of the UN and NATO - be seen by the historians of the future?


Returning briefly to my little world, I just want to say, before I go any further, that I love my job at Beauport. The hours are long, holiday makers are demanding, owners moan and sometimes wrong decisions are made and injustices persist but the staff are lovely, there are a lot of laughs and the park is lovely. However it does take up a lot of my time, with Argos too I have nearly been doing a 50hr week sometimes and this doesn't leave time, energy or mental capacity for much else. Is that right or wrong I ask myself? I do have a family to support though....


Still, I had my strongest temptation yet the other day as I was checking my emails! I got an email from Disney with some truly amazing special offers and since it was approaching payday I really had a strong feeling that I would just book it and go for it. Then I wondered who I would go with....and then shelved the idea as I realised the answer was nobody.
That's why I haven't booked any travelling trips despite my real ambitions to see the world. Its no fun alone.


Nonetheless we persevere. Just as Beauport is quietening down, Argos has exploded in to manic business, to the point that I believe we won't have anything left in the whole countryto actually sell! The money in the bank is a welcome reward though, but the sense of it being a crying shame that I have no opportunity to use it is mounting.
Still I am fully aware that I will have no respite this side of Christmas, that's for sure!

At the moment I am on the brink of a plan to make cake. Serious cake. Here it is:
and I'm also plannning on making some glittery Poppy cupcakes too!

Right I think I've waffled enough for the time being! Do feel free to share any feedback with me as ever and let me know that I'm loved!!

Bye :-)

Lots of nice things (except the COLD!!)

Hello there all,

It's me again. Welcome to October the month of extremes in the nation's weather, amongst others!

Well we are now on the 7th and it does not feel in any way like it is X amount of days until certain things:

- 22 days until the end of season Halloween party (note to self: must design posters)
- 24 days until my contract finishes at Beauport...  :"-(
- 36 days until Mum and I travel to London to attend the annual Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in the presence to HM The Queen.
- 37 days until the Festival of Remembrance at the White Rock Theatre (I design the programme and sell tickets each year)

Slightly further in the future; it is 18 weeks and 1 day until I go away (hopefully) with Ruth and her 'rents to Whitby for a week.
Beyond that, its less than 24 weeks until Mum and I head to Llandudno for the RBLWS Annual Conference (and some tourism).

This time tomorrow and 1240 miles away, the Malta Military Tatoo kicks off - one year we will get there! Also somewhere marginally warmer than it is in England right now!

Speaking of which: can you believe the weather we had in the last few days? Almost at the 30 C mark and then almost overnight the temperature drops by about 15 C!!! Not helpful, thank you.
Still I did meet the most beautiful handbag today - I really want one for myself! Let's see...

Here it is! The perfect completion to any winter outfit methinks :)

So we'll have to wait and see if I've been good enough to find favour with Santa this year eh? ;-)

I borrowed the Twilight series on DVD from Loz this week and have watched them through a couple of times now. Really love that series and really can't wait to see the new one come out at the cinema soon. Maybe Santa will bring me the boks too!!
I've also recently been reading a series by Jennifer Worth: social histories based around London's East End and the lives of nurses and midwives serving the people there. Tis really good!
Other DVDs I've watched recently: The King's Speech, Tron: Legacy and The Social Network.

Now, I'm glad to have seen all of these 3, but none had the big impact on me that I was expecting. So looking forward then to seeing; POTC:On Stranger Tides, The Smurfs Movie and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (Narnia) amongst others.

Basically happy days - so long as you don't count being ridiculously busy; working a nearly 50hr week over 6 days, dealing with violently stressy holiday makers and random old people. England played Montenegro this evening and managed a draw (along witht he usual standard of appalling behaviour from Rooney!) and then we face France in the rugby in the morning. Hopefully that match will be played with a great deal more sportsmanship than the football (maybe a better result too???)
Coooome On ENGLAND!!

Right, I'll leave it there peeps. Much love :-)

Time and money

Hello!

So, have you ever heard the saying that if you have the time to enjoy yourself that you don't have the money, but if you have the money you don't have the free time.
Well that's certainly true of me right now.

I'm earning but have no time and quite probably no emotional energy to do much right now, I look forward to my day off but still have no chance to really enjoy it - I just have to play to catch up on that precious Tuesday.
Right now, I'm dreaming in the short term, of a day off where I can go to Eastbourne to go shopping - for the whole day! Just to go, do some shopping, renew my wardrobe, have some fun, eat out etc.

In the long term of course, I absorb myself in my daydreams about travelling the world and my schemes to actually make it happen. You see this blog was always meant to be pondering the "what next?" and to be charting my progress of leaving my carefree youth behind and being a grown up!! I feel like sharing my round-the-world ambitions with you for a bit of escapism.

Here goes:
So... this is based on you leaving London and travelling East around the world!

• France. Specifically Paris (nothing like familiar territory to start the journey).
• Malta. Got to go to my spiritual home on such an epic journey!
• Italy. Always wanted to tour all the famous cities of this wonderous country.
• Croatia. Again, special meaning: the 3 muskateers trip of Sept 10.
• Bosnia. Had a one day glimpse of this lush country, wan tto see more.
• Hungary. Budapest holds a special allure for some reason..I'll let you know when I get there!
• Israel. So many biblically and historically significant places
• Jordan. The Dead Sea, Amman, jeep safaris...Need I say more?
• UAE. Dubai, Abu Dhabi: mega malls, skiing(!!) etc
• Oman. I had penpal from Muscat, so I want to go there. Simples.
• Seychelles. White sand, clear waters, beach huts, sun....
• Mauritius. See above. Plus I know some people whose families come from there...
• Singapore. The history.
• Bali. Have you read "Eat, Pray, Love?"
• Australia. If I only ever climbed the Harbour Bridge, that would be enough, but there's so much more I want to do besides...who wouldn't?
• NZ. Sheep, hobbits, green rolling hills...You could be in Wales!
• (Hawaii). Got to stop at these amazing islands!
• USA. Oh my, where to start? As much of it as possible please!
• Canada. Niagara Falls, Calgary, Quebec. Stunning.
• Cayman Islands. Ah the Caribbean... Disney Cruise anyone?
• Bahamas. See above.
• Gibraltar. Not sure why? Its the colonial in me, want to see it before we (inevitably) give it back!
• Ireland. North and South please. So much beauty and history - like Bosnia, but colder!

So there you have it.Oh course its a lot more likely that I'll achieve these visits one (or a couple) at a time, but its fun to have grand plans! Some of these trips are treks in themselves: USA and Oz, whilst others are small, combined jaunts. Its so exciting.

This leads me inevitably on to another subject: savings. I was in town on my day off and only planning on popping in to the bank to clear up some confusion. Then they told me about this cool lil savings account where you get 2% interest for the first year, so I'm going for it! Its all helping me have vital funds. As is all the extra work I'm doing right now!

In other news, I am now one week in to my Bible in a Year readings with Soul Survivor (51 to go!). It is going really well and I look forward to it each day. So far its been Matthew and Genesis, with bits of Psalms and Proverbs. Can't wait to read more each day!

On that note, I need to be off to bed. Check in day tomorrow at work and I'll need my wits about me!

Ciao belle!

Standing, going and just carrying on

Hello there,

So its the 1st of September tomorrow and those lucky enough to have received a letter, will be heading off to King's Cross to board the Hogwarts Express! As for me, I have another day at work lined up!

I came back from Momentum a week ago and I am full to the brim of all of my experiences from there! I'll start with the highlights to jog my own memory too;

O Meeting Charlotte and having a whale of a time. We got on very well together, spent a great few days in each other's company and it was amazing to find someone who has some different tastes and ideas but at the same time is so very similar to me.

O God speaking to me despite all of my doubts and sceptisisms and Him equipping me for the task He set before me there. To feel significant, the feel as if you are important is crucial to human nature. One lesson I took from Momentum is that God is bringing about His kingdom all by Himself, but just like a parent who allows their children to help in order that they learn, God gets us in on His gameplan!

O Receiving words from Him for all of my work colleagues, the revelation that we will all spend time in desert places in our lives (and that He uses them for our good) and that my office is my desert place right now. Amazingly though He has placed me there for a reason! :-)

O Spending hours at a time relaxing in the paddock with God, worshipping Him and lifting up praise to the Lord unreservedly and without anything to distract from it.

O Seminars from really wise speakers about getting in to actually reading the bible, to relationships, to being a "Full-time Christian Worker" and just the awesomeness of God in general!

O Camping and the weather and just chill and being-away-from-home-and-work time! It was a joy to read my books, my bible, to chill out with a hot choccy, to lie in the sun and get weirdo tan lines, to get burnt and then have rain the next day, to trek through the mud in flip flops, to meet new people and see a few few familiar faces too!

I really want to go again next year too and am really hoping that Tom will be able to join me too, that'll be fun if he can. I did have a lil taste of what its lie to be alone at Momentumand I can do it, but it is NOWHERE near as fun!

Now I'm back at work - that place I felt God say I am called to - and back in to the thick of things. My poor manager Wendy has been off sick and some others have not been 100% either. We've also been flat to the boards with work and I've been battling feelings of uselessness etc. The guys are always so busy and there's always one more job that I'm asking them to do, the sales team bring in the money and I just do little bits and pieces all over the place.
But I try to be salt and light. God never said I had to succeed or to measure that success by human standards, just to stand firm in my faith, to go where He has told me to and to carry on when it all seems to be going pear-shaped!
I do love my job a lot though, so it has that going for it and there are a millionand one little things that I enjoy and relish and take pleasure in - not to mention the people I work with who are just a joy.

All the camping stuff went back up in the loft today. Next time we go up there will probs be to get the Christmas decs down! Gosh, first day of autumn tomorrow! Got flyers from Disneyland Paris about Halloween and Christmas and our entertainments posters at work now have New Year's Eve Party on them!

All my life is consumed by work right now, so its all :-) on the bank balance front, but all :-/ on the having a life and sorting my life out front! Today was triple payday, so that is a nice bright light on the horizon for me. I've got it in to my head that I want to go to Eastbourne for a day's shopping. Personally I blame Charlotte, she planted the idea of doing a big winter shop in one fell swoop in Primark in my mind.
Soul Survivor are starting their Bible in A Year again tomorrow and I really want to get on board, but the worst thing is trying to find the time in the day to do it!! I have to weigh it against my wanting and really feeling I ought to get in to God's Word A LOT more.


So there you have it, a brief summary of what's been occurring in my life in the last few days. Charlotte and I shall keep in touch, so that's all good. Ruth is just getting settled in her new house in Soton. Tom is considering his options for next year and Sarah is approaching her birthday in just over a week's time! We did want to go visit, but boring old me has to go to boring old work!!

Still, Ruth and I have had an idea to go away together next year and Sarah, Tom & I are always on the look out for holiday opportunities for the three muskateers! Need to spend my hard earned pennies on something don't I??

So that's it for this blog. Do comment if and when you read, so I know there is life out there! I'll be back again when interesting life breaks in to my workiverse! :-p