March has been another full month of activities and I'm pleased to say that it featured some in person activities too. I have to admit I am still getting used to having people back in the actual room with me instead of virtually via a smart device and trying to get back into the swing of things. It's very weird, yet wonderful.
We had another very successful small-scale Supper Club in Aberdeen this month and it was great to see people across various services reconnecting and also some of the leadership team (who volunteered for the event) getting to catch up with people we support again.
I had rented out a box of WW1 artefacts and imitations from the Gordon Highlanders Museum too this month and had carefully planned out which services I would take them to, how long I would leave between service visits and also making sure that each service was able to try different items on so that there was no cross-contamination. This was all well and good until the actual week came...as you are all no doubt aware, Covid numbers are very high throughout Scotland so we decided it was not worth the risk for something we could do again in a few months time when things settle down. So, the people we support in St James's Court in Inverurie were the first I was meant to visit and turned out to be the only ones, they had a blast!
The last thing I'll touch on this month isn't quite activities based but relates to another part of my role, volunteer coordinator. This month I have helped out at Inspire...By Stonehaven when they had staff shortages and then helped the gents at Cloverfield in putting up their new shed. I didn't do these things because I thought it would make me look good or to get brownie points for the Development Team. I did them because I believe in the Inspire philosophy of trying to create an Inspire Family. If it were my relatives being supported at Cloverfield I would like to think that people would rally round to help them with something they don't have the capacity to do themselves. I would encourage you all to think about how an hour or two of volunteering or helping out here and there can have a big, positive impact on the people we support's lives, I want their family/guardians/friends to know that we are also doing our best for them - also, having a wee boogie to Abba and Queen with Simon while building a shed is good fun too!
Chris Simpson, Senior Volunteer and Activities Coordinator
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