I've been a volunteer at Camphill for quite a while now. It must be two months, if not more. I have mentioned this in previous blog posts. When I started there I only did a few hours, from 9 until 12. More to see whether I could cope with the hours as well as to see if I would fit in, whether the residents would get on with me. I do fit in and they seem to like having me there. It's actually a perfect fit from all aspects.
It seemed to take for ever to get to Camphill this morning (Tuesday). There was a tractor with a grass mower on the back going along Chaffron Way, all the way from my leaving Eaglestone until I turned onto Brickhill Street near Waitrose at Oakgrove. It meant that I could drive at barely 20 m.p.h., and as a consequence the traffic behind had to follow. There was no way I could overtake. There are traffic calming areas which have recently been installed along the central reservation. If you even attempted to overtake there was a very strong risk of running into the cones and other barriers which are in the way. I don't think some drivers appreciate having to drive so slowly, but at least it meant none of the stupid tailgating that I have to endure most days when I am out in the car.
When I eventually got to Camphill and parked the car, it turned out that around half the drama group were going to be out, visiting a school in Milton Keynes, Hazley Academy as it turned out, something to do with planting herbs in pots. I think it was for the school childen to sell, but I'm not sure. At the beginning of each session the residents have to give a sort of resume of how they felt and what they had been doing and what they expected to get out of the day. Support staff (which is what I am, even though I'm voluntary.) have to also give an account of themselves. I had the Disclosure Certificate with me, so I had to got to the office to inform them that I now had this piece of quite important paper and it has now been photocopied and put in my file. We spent most of the morning tidying up the theatre, sweeping and vacuuming and moving equipment around and then we went upstairs to the library (I can't think why it's called a library, because there weren't a lot of books in evidence. More of an office. Tao, the theatre leader (I'm not sure of his actual title, but he seems in charge of most things in the theatre, not just directing the student actors, but the general running of the place, including the technical side.) wanted to have a written document to explain what happens when a tea-break is called. I am to be given responsibility for keeping the tea-bar organised, to make sure it is clean and tidy, the dish washer is properly organised, the tablet put in whenever a load is put in and emptied etc etc. So we sat and this document was created using a MacBook (the whole theatre department is extremely well equipped with MacBooks, iPads etc etc as well as digital projectors which means DVDs of films can be shown, including the one that has been made of the Stranger Danger project, which was shown to the community assembly last week. Unfortunately I was unable to attend, although my name is to be added to the credits, even though I have only been involved for a few weeks.)
We broke for lunch and I had my first experience of the Camphill café. I am really impressed by the whole set-up. You have a waiter/ waitress service, staffed by residents, and they bring it to your table. I had cheese toasty and latte and then a slice of really great chocolate fudge cake. I shall definitely be returning for further lunches over the next few months and years.
After lunch I helped load the dish washer with one of the drama regulars and then we sat and discussed what we wanted the video to be delivered on, either a memory stick or DVD, or given a link to the Vimeo upload on the internet. I had decided to have it on DVD so I can play it on my television which has a built in DVD player.
As there weren't all of the gang during the afternoon, Teo decided that, because it was so hot and sunny, to take everyone out for a walk along the shore of Willen Lake. It is only a fairly short walk over Brickhill Street, passing under the road and then out to the path. It was quite a long haul walking along the shore of the lake, but because it was such a pleasant afternoon it was just perfect and stopping to look at some birds and some of the guys recognising whatever species they were. Then further, walking along the path that passes Willen Hospice and remembering what it was like when My lovely Carol was there. This is where we took George, my grandson, when Chloe and Steve bought both grandsons to visit Carol and George seemed more interested in what the workmen were doing chopping down some of the branches of the trees when it was very windy. Then we went through Willen village and back around to the path on the other side of the lake and back to Camphill, climbing up a fairly steep hill that lead to the foot bridge that crossed Brickhill Street and in to the entrance at the back of the Camphill campus. I will say that all that walking did some good for me as I had a really good night's sleep. That's what good exercise does for you!
It seemed to take for ever to get to Camphill this morning (Tuesday). There was a tractor with a grass mower on the back going along Chaffron Way, all the way from my leaving Eaglestone until I turned onto Brickhill Street near Waitrose at Oakgrove. It meant that I could drive at barely 20 m.p.h., and as a consequence the traffic behind had to follow. There was no way I could overtake. There are traffic calming areas which have recently been installed along the central reservation. If you even attempted to overtake there was a very strong risk of running into the cones and other barriers which are in the way. I don't think some drivers appreciate having to drive so slowly, but at least it meant none of the stupid tailgating that I have to endure most days when I am out in the car.
When I eventually got to Camphill and parked the car, it turned out that around half the drama group were going to be out, visiting a school in Milton Keynes, Hazley Academy as it turned out, something to do with planting herbs in pots. I think it was for the school childen to sell, but I'm not sure. At the beginning of each session the residents have to give a sort of resume of how they felt and what they had been doing and what they expected to get out of the day. Support staff (which is what I am, even though I'm voluntary.) have to also give an account of themselves. I had the Disclosure Certificate with me, so I had to got to the office to inform them that I now had this piece of quite important paper and it has now been photocopied and put in my file. We spent most of the morning tidying up the theatre, sweeping and vacuuming and moving equipment around and then we went upstairs to the library (I can't think why it's called a library, because there weren't a lot of books in evidence. More of an office. Tao, the theatre leader (I'm not sure of his actual title, but he seems in charge of most things in the theatre, not just directing the student actors, but the general running of the place, including the technical side.) wanted to have a written document to explain what happens when a tea-break is called. I am to be given responsibility for keeping the tea-bar organised, to make sure it is clean and tidy, the dish washer is properly organised, the tablet put in whenever a load is put in and emptied etc etc. So we sat and this document was created using a MacBook (the whole theatre department is extremely well equipped with MacBooks, iPads etc etc as well as digital projectors which means DVDs of films can be shown, including the one that has been made of the Stranger Danger project, which was shown to the community assembly last week. Unfortunately I was unable to attend, although my name is to be added to the credits, even though I have only been involved for a few weeks.)
We broke for lunch and I had my first experience of the Camphill café. I am really impressed by the whole set-up. You have a waiter/ waitress service, staffed by residents, and they bring it to your table. I had cheese toasty and latte and then a slice of really great chocolate fudge cake. I shall definitely be returning for further lunches over the next few months and years.
After lunch I helped load the dish washer with one of the drama regulars and then we sat and discussed what we wanted the video to be delivered on, either a memory stick or DVD, or given a link to the Vimeo upload on the internet. I had decided to have it on DVD so I can play it on my television which has a built in DVD player.
As there weren't all of the gang during the afternoon, Teo decided that, because it was so hot and sunny, to take everyone out for a walk along the shore of Willen Lake. It is only a fairly short walk over Brickhill Street, passing under the road and then out to the path. It was quite a long haul walking along the shore of the lake, but because it was such a pleasant afternoon it was just perfect and stopping to look at some birds and some of the guys recognising whatever species they were. Then further, walking along the path that passes Willen Hospice and remembering what it was like when My lovely Carol was there. This is where we took George, my grandson, when Chloe and Steve bought both grandsons to visit Carol and George seemed more interested in what the workmen were doing chopping down some of the branches of the trees when it was very windy. Then we went through Willen village and back around to the path on the other side of the lake and back to Camphill, climbing up a fairly steep hill that lead to the foot bridge that crossed Brickhill Street and in to the entrance at the back of the Camphill campus. I will say that all that walking did some good for me as I had a really good night's sleep. That's what good exercise does for you!
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