The first one is the Kingston News, a village newsletter that goes out every month. It was failing as far as funding goes, and the treasurer was starting to get concerned over costs and longevity of the paper. When I took over, the previous editor didn't like asking for money for submissions, and after only two months I had implemented a pricing tariff for articles and adverts. Now, after almost a full year, the Kingston News is thriving, with people sending me the correct money, and happy to do so as they realise I have the villages best interests in mind.
I have also turned it around so much that I we are able to sponsor a literacy award to Keystage 1 and 2 at my youngest son's school in the village. We are providing two wooden, engraved trophies for the kids - better than a book token I feel, as they get to keep them forever.
I have also created a website for the paper, www.kingston-news.co.uk which I keep updated with stories and photographs from the village.
The other thing that has been taking my time up this year is Lewes Boccia. You can read more about this on my other post, but briefly, my son couldn't find anywhere to play the paralympic sport Boccia, so we created a club ourselves!
It was the 14th January that was the defining moment of the club, it was after a meeting with the local leisure centre manager that I realised I had to start the club. Up to then it was just an idea floating around.
We have helped the leisure centre run some multisport activities involving Boccia for young disabled kids, and also run two taster sessions for our own club. Our first proper club session was last week and it went very well indeed, with all participants enjoying themselves.
I also created the website for Lewes Boccia, www.lewesboccia.co.uk and it will evolve and be updated as much as it needs to.
I have been busy with Zak as well. We have been making ramps for him and the club, going into the shed for hours at a time on the weekends!
Our last time in the shed was spent designing and cutting to size materials for a table type raised bed.
The raised bed I made previously in our vegetable patch wasn't high enough for Zak, so the only other solution was to build something off the floor. Most of the parts are ready to put together, and we should be able to finish it this coming weekend.
In between everything else, it's the Easter holidays, Kane is home for two weeks. We've spent some of the nicer days playing outside throwing his frisbee and firing rockets up to 400ft up in the air with his stompy air toy.
We've had some real laughs outside as the frisbee and rockets sometimes go in some strange places and hit bits of the body we'd rather not mention!
Kane has also been sitting on my lap driving 'The Rig' (my ride on lawn mower) around the garden, flattening the mole runs and helping me cut and move some low hanging branches.
The soil for the raised beds arrived this morning, dropped off by an old work colleague from a firm I used to work for, which means I have more work to do!
