But as I said in my last blog, our correspondence address remains the same so if you want to write in and you don't know where we actually are (because we only give our home address to friends and family...........and those with money) then it is still NAPAC 42 Curtain Road. London EC2A 3NH.
Did you see me on BBC TV News Channel on Sunday? No. Well go to the back of the class. I was talking about the scandal of the Catholic Chuch abuse cover-ups in Ireland. I tried to be balanced but it was hard. I was brought up as a Roman Catholic and the vast majority of them are fine Christian people.............BUT.........they've been lead by wolves in sheeps clothing and it's about time the people took back their Church from the devils' people who seem to run it.
Enough of that. I start to get angry and slam the key board when I think about priests and others abusing children.
And I just read that Vanessa George (nursery nurse!)has received an indeterminate public protection jail sentence for her hideous crimes against little tots. I hope the judges comment is right and that this woman will not see the light of day until the 'experts' deem her not to be a threat to children any more.
Well Christmas is fast approaching and I cannot believe how nice our new little office is. It's almost luxurious...........though I do miss our former neighbours.
Last year the staff Christmas dinner was in our local Weatherspoons at Elephant and Castle. This year and to celebrate our Big Lottery grant we are considering our on-site Italian restaurant. The foods pretty good and they laid on a great spread for our volunteers' thank -you bash. Unfortunately my stomach was thwarted once again as I was committed to going out for a meal that evening with my cousin so was unable to pig out as I usually do.
And now the time is near. Yes, you guessed it............it's lycra time!! This place is great. We have a proper secure bike shed (it's actually a bit like Fort Knox) and hot showers. I can't wait for summer. It's freezing out there today and although the Old Kent Road must be wondering what's happened to me it is now the dreaded South Circular that has to deal with the flash of yellow that is me.
Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay out of my way!!!
Love
Pete
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Friday, 27 November 2009
Dressed up as a gorilla.
Did you hear about the chap who, deparate for work, responded to an add at the local zoo. On arriving he was told that the job was to dress up as a gorilla and pretend to be one. The zoos resident gorilla had died and they couldn't afford to replace him. (or perhaps they came to realise that these creatures belong in the wild) Well he took the job, got dressed up in his gorilla outfit and got on with it. In fact he played a brilliant part and one day his boundless swinging and energy catapulted him into the cage next door...................which turned out to be the lions den. Upon seeing the lion coming towards him he screamed for help to which the 'lion' replied "shut up you fool or we'll both lose our jobs"
I like that. There is a moral there somewhere but being a bit slow I haven't spotted it yet.
You know, the one downside of doing this job of mine is the realisation of how often we get things wrong, well to be precise how often I get things wrong. It could be a miss-worded email, forgetting to return a call............all sorts of things, just letting someone down. It's rarely intentional but it happens. I just hope that when we get things wrong, the person wronged will forgive us and accept that we are no different to any of our brothers or sisters. There's a great line in the Bible (don't worry there isn't a bashing on the way!) where a bunch of people are about to throw stones at a prostitute. Jesus turns to the angry mob and says 'let the dude who ain't done no wrong throw the first stone'. The mob drop their stones and walk away.
Need I say more?
Have an awesome weekend. We are leaving these offices within the week (our postal address, 42 Curtain Road EC2A 3NH remains the same) so a few of us are going next door for a pint....or three. So no lycra tonight. The Old Kent Road will not see the flash of yellow that is usually me!!
Love
Pete
I like that. There is a moral there somewhere but being a bit slow I haven't spotted it yet.
You know, the one downside of doing this job of mine is the realisation of how often we get things wrong, well to be precise how often I get things wrong. It could be a miss-worded email, forgetting to return a call............all sorts of things, just letting someone down. It's rarely intentional but it happens. I just hope that when we get things wrong, the person wronged will forgive us and accept that we are no different to any of our brothers or sisters. There's a great line in the Bible (don't worry there isn't a bashing on the way!) where a bunch of people are about to throw stones at a prostitute. Jesus turns to the angry mob and says 'let the dude who ain't done no wrong throw the first stone'. The mob drop their stones and walk away.
Need I say more?
Have an awesome weekend. We are leaving these offices within the week (our postal address, 42 Curtain Road EC2A 3NH remains the same) so a few of us are going next door for a pint....or three. So no lycra tonight. The Old Kent Road will not see the flash of yellow that is usually me!!
Love
Pete
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Soroptimists
Did you do your homework and find out what who the soroptimists are? No? I thought not. Well the Skipton branch of this fine body of professional women turned out to be a very nice group indeed. I just did my usual stuff. Talked about how napac started, what we do, how we do it etc. I got a great reception and the feedback I received was that I was the best speaker they'd had this year. And then Helen had to go and spoil it by pointing out I may have been the only speaker they've had this year!! Thanks H!!!
But to more serious matters. No, this business we are in is serious enough so please allow me to just indulge myself with my usual irrelevant banter. Yes, Skipton was great. And next year I am going to speak to their sister branch in Keighley. Sister is the clue. Soroptimists get their name from the Latin (or is it Greek?) for sister (Soror) and optima (the best) hence - best sisters. See you've learnt something today! There are about 100,000 worldwide and it started in California in 1921.
Getting this lottery grant (see last blogs) is quite amazing. It's changed my life. I was at a function at Boris Johnson's place on Monday evening - City Hall, London and every time people asked "where do you get your funding" I grinned and said "the magnificent Big Lottery fund". And I just kept grinning and it wasn't just the wine, which being an nspcc function, was limitless and very nice. Ed Balls the Education Secretary was there as was Sir Christopher Kelly. Chris is now well known for his review of MPs expenses but he is also Chair of Trustees at nspcc. A nice chap I have to say. As, it seems, is the new Chief Executive of nspcc, Andrew Flanagan. I asked him for an early meeting and was a little surprised that he hadn't heard of napac. Why should he I hear you say. Well, as you may or may not know, napac's registered office is at 42 Curtain Road, the head office of nspcc. As we are the only other charity to be registered there I would have thought someone would tell the incoming Chief Exec about us. But no. He's been there nearly a year and hasn't heard of napac! Strange that, since there is somewhere between 8 and 18 million abuse survivors in this country. Strange and quite worrying. As were a few things said to me that evening by one or two individuals. You'd think nspcc staff would know something about abuse wouldn't you? I mean that's what they are in business to prevent isn't it? And as Ed Balls pointed out they have been around for 125 years.
I couldn't stop myself mentioning to Mr Flanagan and one or two others, that it's only when the nspcc is headed up by survivors of abuse (they use the word 'cruelty'not abuse) will it really get stuck into preventing abuse......rather than just talking about it. We'll see. I was impressed by what the new boss said but it's actions I'm intersted in. With a million kids still suffering abuse each year in this country something needs doing.
What else can I tell you? Well, we are moving offices.....again. We are just going from one part of London to another but the new premises are a lot nicer and a little cheaper. We also won't be sharing anymore and that's good news. Our current neighbours are wonderful but we are a bit noisy and they deserve their peace and quiet! We hope to move in early December.
We are pressing on with our plans to set up nationwide support groups and are having a working party meeting this weekend. We also continue to forge strong links with prisons and next week I am spending two days at HMP Manchester (okay, okay, I got sentenced to two days for being drunk and disorderly at the above mentioned function) when I hope to organise some further training for staff and prison officers. I've been to HMP Manchester (or Strangeways as it used to be called) a few times and I have to say the staff are a nice bunch, at least the ones I've met.
Finally. We continue to be blessed with an influx of wonderful new voluteers and that makes me very happy. The lottery funding will enable us to take on more full time staff next year too so I think it fair to say that it's onwards and upwards for this little charity. In fact we are not so little any more! Only the other day I was reminiscing (sorry I don't know how to spell that and this doesn't do spell-check) that it doesn't seem so long since I was doing all this from my bedroom - on my own! Actually, it is quite a long time ago......I'm just getting old and forgetful. But not too old to show a clean pair of wheels to those boy-racers on the Old Kent Road......................talking of which...it's Lycra time again! Have a great weekend and thanks for being our friend.
Love
Pete
But to more serious matters. No, this business we are in is serious enough so please allow me to just indulge myself with my usual irrelevant banter. Yes, Skipton was great. And next year I am going to speak to their sister branch in Keighley. Sister is the clue. Soroptimists get their name from the Latin (or is it Greek?) for sister (Soror) and optima (the best) hence - best sisters. See you've learnt something today! There are about 100,000 worldwide and it started in California in 1921.
Getting this lottery grant (see last blogs) is quite amazing. It's changed my life. I was at a function at Boris Johnson's place on Monday evening - City Hall, London and every time people asked "where do you get your funding" I grinned and said "the magnificent Big Lottery fund". And I just kept grinning and it wasn't just the wine, which being an nspcc function, was limitless and very nice. Ed Balls the Education Secretary was there as was Sir Christopher Kelly. Chris is now well known for his review of MPs expenses but he is also Chair of Trustees at nspcc. A nice chap I have to say. As, it seems, is the new Chief Executive of nspcc, Andrew Flanagan. I asked him for an early meeting and was a little surprised that he hadn't heard of napac. Why should he I hear you say. Well, as you may or may not know, napac's registered office is at 42 Curtain Road, the head office of nspcc. As we are the only other charity to be registered there I would have thought someone would tell the incoming Chief Exec about us. But no. He's been there nearly a year and hasn't heard of napac! Strange that, since there is somewhere between 8 and 18 million abuse survivors in this country. Strange and quite worrying. As were a few things said to me that evening by one or two individuals. You'd think nspcc staff would know something about abuse wouldn't you? I mean that's what they are in business to prevent isn't it? And as Ed Balls pointed out they have been around for 125 years.
I couldn't stop myself mentioning to Mr Flanagan and one or two others, that it's only when the nspcc is headed up by survivors of abuse (they use the word 'cruelty'not abuse) will it really get stuck into preventing abuse......rather than just talking about it. We'll see. I was impressed by what the new boss said but it's actions I'm intersted in. With a million kids still suffering abuse each year in this country something needs doing.
What else can I tell you? Well, we are moving offices.....again. We are just going from one part of London to another but the new premises are a lot nicer and a little cheaper. We also won't be sharing anymore and that's good news. Our current neighbours are wonderful but we are a bit noisy and they deserve their peace and quiet! We hope to move in early December.
We are pressing on with our plans to set up nationwide support groups and are having a working party meeting this weekend. We also continue to forge strong links with prisons and next week I am spending two days at HMP Manchester (okay, okay, I got sentenced to two days for being drunk and disorderly at the above mentioned function) when I hope to organise some further training for staff and prison officers. I've been to HMP Manchester (or Strangeways as it used to be called) a few times and I have to say the staff are a nice bunch, at least the ones I've met.
Finally. We continue to be blessed with an influx of wonderful new voluteers and that makes me very happy. The lottery funding will enable us to take on more full time staff next year too so I think it fair to say that it's onwards and upwards for this little charity. In fact we are not so little any more! Only the other day I was reminiscing (sorry I don't know how to spell that and this doesn't do spell-check) that it doesn't seem so long since I was doing all this from my bedroom - on my own! Actually, it is quite a long time ago......I'm just getting old and forgetful. But not too old to show a clean pair of wheels to those boy-racers on the Old Kent Road......................talking of which...it's Lycra time again! Have a great weekend and thanks for being our friend.
Love
Pete
Friday, 23 October 2009
Now you know!
There I go again. Getting out of that blogging habit. And sadly I haven't got time to do one now and because I'm working tomorrow (yes Saturday!) I need to go home. Loads of exciting stuff going on at napac and I will try and update you next week. But it won't be Monday or Tuesday as I'm going to Skipton to talk to the local Soroptimist group. Now there's a new one for you. This weeks home-work.............find out who the Soroptimists are............and no! they are nothing to do with the Klu Klux Klan! But don't get me started on the facists. I lost an uncle and a grandad fighting tyranny.
Have a good weekend.............if you happen to be reading this on Friday otherwise just have a good!
Cheers
Pete
Have a good weekend.............if you happen to be reading this on Friday otherwise just have a good!
Cheers
Pete
Wednesday, 14 October 2009
Big announcement!
Today the organisers announce the route of the 2010 Tour de France..............I await that news with baited breath. But of course the really big news is mentioned below. All I can say in response to this news is that we are all gobsmacked and incredibly grateful to the public who spend millions on the National Lottery!!
This appears on the Big Lottery, Reaching Communities website.
An England-wide scheme to provide a listening ear to adults who suffered trauma in their childhood is amongst 40 projects receiving funding today from the Big Lottery Fund.
Today’s announcement sees close to £11 million from BIG’s Reaching Communities programme awarded to organisations working with some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded people across the country.
Sanjay Dighe, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund’s England Committee, said: “We are delighted to see over £10.9 million going right into the heart of communities, providing support to the people who most need it. There are projects offering assistance for carers, disabled people, those with particular health conditions and a host of others. The 40 projects funded today are vital in improving health and well-being, increasing opportunities for people of all ages and building stronger communities.”
The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) receives £495,210 to increase the capacity of their national freephone support line for adults who suffered abuse as children. Volunteers are trained to offer a sympathetic ear, allowing callers the opportunity to discuss their experiences with a non-judgmental listener and be signposted to other organisations that can help them deal with past issues face-to-face.
NAPAC receives approximately 1000 calls per week and is able to answer just six per cent of these, most of which are first-time callers. The grant will enable them to expand its volunteer base to answer more of these calls. They also do presentations to GPs and other agencies as part of a campaign to raise awareness.
Chief Executive Pete Saunders said: “I cannot overstate the significance of this grant, and what it will enable NAPAC to achieve. We provide the UK’s only national free phone support line for adults who suffered any type of abuse in childhood and the Reaching Communities funding will enable us to reach out to this huge and isolated community.
“It’s easy to forget that abused children grow up and it is so important they, as adults, are given the opportunity to heal and move on with their lives. That is what we do at NAPAC: we help support people in their healing journey through the provision of a volunteer-run support line that is free and available every day of the working week. It was only lack of funding that hampered our plans to expand and meet the ever-growing demand for our unique service. This funding has untied our hands and will enable that to happen.”
This appears on the Big Lottery, Reaching Communities website.
An England-wide scheme to provide a listening ear to adults who suffered trauma in their childhood is amongst 40 projects receiving funding today from the Big Lottery Fund.
Today’s announcement sees close to £11 million from BIG’s Reaching Communities programme awarded to organisations working with some of the most vulnerable and socially excluded people across the country.
Sanjay Dighe, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund’s England Committee, said: “We are delighted to see over £10.9 million going right into the heart of communities, providing support to the people who most need it. There are projects offering assistance for carers, disabled people, those with particular health conditions and a host of others. The 40 projects funded today are vital in improving health and well-being, increasing opportunities for people of all ages and building stronger communities.”
The National Association for People Abused in Childhood (NAPAC) receives £495,210 to increase the capacity of their national freephone support line for adults who suffered abuse as children. Volunteers are trained to offer a sympathetic ear, allowing callers the opportunity to discuss their experiences with a non-judgmental listener and be signposted to other organisations that can help them deal with past issues face-to-face.
NAPAC receives approximately 1000 calls per week and is able to answer just six per cent of these, most of which are first-time callers. The grant will enable them to expand its volunteer base to answer more of these calls. They also do presentations to GPs and other agencies as part of a campaign to raise awareness.
Chief Executive Pete Saunders said: “I cannot overstate the significance of this grant, and what it will enable NAPAC to achieve. We provide the UK’s only national free phone support line for adults who suffered any type of abuse in childhood and the Reaching Communities funding will enable us to reach out to this huge and isolated community.
“It’s easy to forget that abused children grow up and it is so important they, as adults, are given the opportunity to heal and move on with their lives. That is what we do at NAPAC: we help support people in their healing journey through the provision of a volunteer-run support line that is free and available every day of the working week. It was only lack of funding that hampered our plans to expand and meet the ever-growing demand for our unique service. This funding has untied our hands and will enable that to happen.”
Monday, 12 October 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)
