Sorry I’ve been a bit silent on the blogging front recently, I’ve been editing some (over 100!) photos for a post that I’m working on, and I’ve been applying for a job!
I’ve realised
1) that I might have to break my massive 100-photo-post down into a few (or lots of) posts to make it more manageable and
2) I might run out of photo storage space on WordPress! What happens then? Am I banned from participating in any more photo challenges?
I’ve also remembered how stressful it is applying for a job!
I’ve been too ill to work for ages, and am now just about ready to start thinking about working again, part time to start with so I don’t overdo it as I usually do. When I was in Ireland for my Dad’s birthday recently he was telling me about a friend of his who was working within a school for children in care with behavioural emotional or social problems or with special educational needs. The school was a ‘Barnardos’ school, and my dad asked if Barnardos ran schools in the UK. I hadn’t come across any in Surrey, but I said I’d look out for them if there were any. To be honest I don’t think I’m well enough to go back into teaching yet. I still have to complete my NQT qualifications as my last school didn’t organise this for me, and I really need to be working full time to be able to to this as it takes a long time and lots of hard work to tick all the boxes even if you are working full time.
My dad did sow the seed of trying to find work with Barnardos, and I resolved to look into their work in the UK. They do as it turns out, run three schools, but none anywhere near my home. Barnardos was set up in 1867 when an Irishman Thomas Barnardo shocked by the poverty and neglect he saw on the streets of London, set up his first ‘Ragged School’ for children who were sleeping rough and having to beg for food. He later set up homes for children who were orphaned or whose families could not support them, and while Barnardos no longer runs children’s homes, they support children who are suffering from abuse or neglect, families of children with disabilities and special needs, or families of children whose families are struggling to look after them.
Barnardo’s Children a picture from their archives
Barnardos in addition to working with vulnerable children, also campaigns for children’s rights, and conducts research for example into youth justice and child poverty.
Having worked with children in care and with special educational needs, I am acutely aware of how important the work of organisations such as Barnardos is, and would like in the future to help with their strategic work, however I realise that I am not ready to take on this type of work just yet. Then I saw an advert for a part time sales assistant at a new donation distribution centre in Hersham not far at all from where I live. The centre is within cycling distance of my house, and the vacancy was for 14 hours a week so I decided to apply. I had lots of problems with the online application process, but eventually just submitted my CV and a personal statement and hoped for the best!
Since I had experienced such difficulties applying, I was extremely relieved to be invited to interview, and prepared as well as I could. I was quite unnerved to discover that 8 people were being interviewed for the one position, and as I am a little overqualified for the job was worried that I wouldn’t be considered. I asked when we would know, and the interviewers said that the successful candidate would be called the following day, and the unsuccessful candidates would be emailed after that. As time passed on Tuesday I became more and more despondent as I had liked the interviewers and other staff I had met on the day and had been quite excited at the thought of working there. I began to think of other charities I could apply to, but to be honest, my heart wasn’t in it, and I kept being drawn back to the Barnardos website to see if any other vacancies were being advertised.
5pm came and went, and my heart really sank. Where do I go from here I thought? Then my phone rang with an unfamiliar number, it was my interviewer from the previous day! Prolific apologies, she had a nightmare day, and only just got the chance to ring me 🙂 I had been her first choice, and some of the other staff in the shop who had met me had said they hoped she would pick me too!
I’m not sure when I start, or what my days will be, but this really feels like the right job for me, just at the right time with the right amount of hours and really close to home! Fingers crossed it all works out!
Now I need a few days off just to recover from the excitement of going back working again!
And now just to give you a taster of the other project I have been hatching…..
I found the Big Easter Egg Hunt 2013 UK version, and went to visit it in April just before the auction. This Egg really caught my eye. It is called ‘Dream Arena’
Day One 
WELL DONE – YOU ROCK : )
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Thank you! 🙂
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Congratulations that is wonderful.
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Thanks 🙂 I’m really excited about it! I was afraid of taking on a job with more hours or responsibility, but with this one I can give 110% and still get plenty of rest and be able to do all the housework etc on my days off !
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Sounds like the perfect job.
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I hope so. While I have been ill I have been keeping a close eye on ‘situations vacant’ and this one was the first that really caught my attention. I enjoyed doing the research in preparation for the interview, and feel very positive about staying with Barnardos and later on working in different areas of the organisation
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I am going to have looking for jobs soon, time is running out. I am glad you got one you will enjoy, maybe I will be as lucky.
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Time was running out for me too, and suddenly there it was! Good luck in your job hunt xxx
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Thanks Barbara
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I’m excited for you! I haven’t met you (yet), but I sense those kids are lucky you will be coming into their lives. Just don’t start talking imaginary and irrational numbers and all will be well.
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Funny, I did get into a discussion with Hyperlocalhero last night about how great the number 64 is (being a square, cube and 6th power number) but I will try to keep these nuggets to myself at work 🙂
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I will never again impugn your vast knowledge of the world of digits. http://365daysofbacon.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/proof-that-salad-cancels-out-bacon/
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Lol, unfortunately this calculation is riddled with flaws, the most glaring one being that i really really does not = 0! I worry that this error could have catastrophic effects on the results, but just in case you have sneaked a slice of bacon past Patty recently I won’t do the calculation as I don’t want to be responsible for a salad/bacon catastrophe panic attack!
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Congrats on the new job Barbara. Bernardo is a name I know because I had or have still a book that was put out by the London Religious Tract Society and the homes were a basis for it. It showed all the different things they did for the older children as Bernardos had homes all over UK. I have many of my favourite things in boxes right now and can’t get to them because I can’t lift. Bernardos is a place with quite a history. The Anglican church in Montreal brought many of the trained boys over to Canada to apprentice or work. My mother and my aunt worked at the church and when the resident closed we purchased a desk from the library that was used by the boys. As for my book, it will be like Christmas when I start to open the boxes.! Good Luck!
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That book sounds fascinating! I did a lot of research about Barnardos when I was preparing for my interview, their website has lots of interesting articles about their past, and as you say about the children who were ’emigrated’ to Australia and Canada. Although a lot of what they did seems cruel in a modern context, their intentions were good and many of the children were given a second chance at life with Barnardos and blossomed in their care.
Nowadays we have far less poverty at the extreme level that existed back then, and every effort is made to keep children with their own families whenever possible, or give them foster care rather than care in institutions. It is also socially acceptable and financially possible for single parents to bring up their children. The work Barnardos does nowadays is supporting children and protecting vulnerable ones rather than housing them. They also provide a huge amount of support for older teenagers who have left school but still need support in staying away from crime and gaining employment, an age group that can be very vulnerable especially if their earlier home life has not been good.
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Thanks for the info.. It sounds like you are going to be very inspired by this job. Hope you enjoy it and good luck. Nice chatting. I didn’t realize that Barnardo was still in operation. (sorry I didn’t get back sooner, but last week was riddled with medical problems with my family). I was just trying to keep my eyes open and my blog going!
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Don’t worry at all! Tell me about illness, I’m hoping I’ve turned a corner, hope things are ok with your family now. Sometimes when the chips are down doing a blog post, or just reading and commenting on a few posts has really kept me going. It’s a way of saying ‘I’m still here… drowning almost, but still waving too’
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That’s a good way to put it. Actually that is why I started my blog. It has been good for me as I was and am still waving! Yes everyone is settling again, except for my son who might lose a finger. It could have been his hand so there is always something to be grateful for.
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Goodness! Loosing a finger sounds bad enough! I hope even that doesn’t happen! Xx
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Wonderful news, I am delighted for you! Enjoy the new adventure.
That egg is very colourful, I look forward to seeing some more.
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My first memory of a mention of Barnardos was Jack telling Elly that if she wasn’t good she would be brought back there! 🙂
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Have a listen to this one when you get the chance: http://www.grannymar.com/blog/2007/08/16/50p/
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Ah ha… That explains it 🙂
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😀
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Congrats on job. So glad you got to see the eggs can’t wait ti see more pics
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They were great, just so many! Maybe I will just publish an egg a day for 100 days?
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Sounds good to me!
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Sounds a lot more manageable to me now that I’ve said it!
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I was going to suggest one a day or one a week. You can write up a few when you have the time and schedule them for the required date. (It takes the pressure off 😉 )
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Another good idea!
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😀 Congrats! Wishing you the best of luck with your new job!
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Oh, and you can always open a secondary blog and just use it to host your images. 🙂
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Oh Thank you!! What a clever idea! 🙂
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Thank you! xx
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congrats you clever girl you
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Thank you!
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FELICITĂRI!
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Thank you 🙂
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A LOT OF PLEASURE!
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