Preserving Front Line Services

In the car again today because I need to be home and in Lenton for 6pm. Tonight I investigate a possible new ‘career’ in coaching and have enrolled on a course which starts tonight. It’s run by the council, so I’m not getting too excited.

L, who’s looking a bit ill but naturally won't admit it, is also probably thinking about a new career or maybe just retirement. She says it’s positively ‘icy’ at work this morning and she’s not talking about the weather. Maybe that’s why she’s feeling off colour. As expected the refit at work has upset a few people. She worries too much. You can’t beat a bit of infighting. If she retired she’d miss all that.

So to Nottingham City Council’s Coach Recruitment Programme. Tonight they teach us how to coach a new game. They make one up especially, so that the rules are new to us and then get us to make one up as well. It’s all quite fun actually. We even learn how to give a health and safety briefing... guess I should have seen that one coming. Then, blimey, another free buffet. A very large and impressive buffet, no wonder council funds are under pressure. When they talk about preserving front line services amongst all the budget cuts, it’s good to see they’ve not only retained the buffet but kept it at a high standard.

The evening is finished off with more red tape, the filling in of CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) disclosure forms. You need to be CRB checked before you can do any coaching and there are coaching opportunities on this course. They give us a list of these and among them is a post with Notts Athletic Club which could be interesting, or there’s even the chance to rejoin the dark art that is orienteering. We used to do quite a bit of orienteering a few years ago and there’s a chance to coach with the Nottingham Orienteering Club.

(Tuesday 9th November)