One of the fundamentals of the Boys' Brigade Youth club is to instill discipline in its members.
However officers appear to give up at points. When they've been wound too far they begin to reach the point of excluding them. Sadly sometimes they reach the point far too easily.
If I am ever forced to exclude a member i will consider myself to have failed. It's against the original objective. And yet when the question is brought up i must admit that i have cowered and not confronted the situation.
All it takes for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing.
So when one of the boys had been in trouble i found one of the officers telling the parents that he was on his last chance or he wouldn't be allowed to come. I listened but didn't speak. I still haven't brought up the subject despite the time i've had considering how to go about it.
It just worries me that some of these troublemakers are best off in a group like the Boys' Brigade which i have seen change people for the better over and over. Some even come to find it their last refuge amongst problems going on elsewhere. To put it simply, it's the troublemakers that need our help more then any other.
Our BB did once exclude a member for 2 weeks and they never came back. But they had learnt a lot from the BB, they had even begun to change their ways, albeit not dramatically.
The kids they have problems with in one company are under 10! An age where they can change so easily and have a long time yet to mature and become the good men the Boys' Brigade creates. To quit so early on them would be very distressing. I do hope they change their ways and look at creating a disciplined environment soon, in the mean time i will eventually work up the confidence to bring the case forward.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
A giver or a Taker
Which are you?
The traveller i met still has more to say. If you haven't read the first one go back to "the Traveller" but this post explains my outlooks changing.
The traveller was still sat opposite me as i made my way to CHICKS. He'd told me his best and worst chances in life. But then he began saying how he finds it difficult to take, not a euphemism but taking gifts or other things from people. He much preferred giving, it was in his way of doing things. He had told me of his philanthropy of the people he'd tried to help.
I finally decided to tell the truth. I apologised and began to explain how i had been embarrassed to say that my true destination was a charity helping some of the most disadvantaged kids of Britain.
He accepted it quickly, he told me there was no need to be embarrassed about something so great. How he could tell givers a mile off and that's why he'd talked to me in the first place. So i went on to explain my first CHICKS camp, the kids and people I'd met and the difference in 6 days. About everything, the way it was all changing my life and how good it was.
Then he asked me for a favour. To explain what he'd learnt to those kids so as they keep on the right path. That those kids, no matter how hard their lives are can get through them and become great. They can do or be whatever they want to if they put the effort in and to never ever give up.
I ensured him i would do everything i could.
At that point the train pulled into the station and he said goodbye and disappeared into the town, I'll never see him again. The near anonymous stranger, i knew his name but he could be anywhere living in the back corners meeting the shadows people try to ignore. It was as though he'd been sent to find me, of all the people on that train, of all the trains he could have gotten on, he found the person who needed to hear what he had to say. Then once we'd said what we needed to say he was gone. Like the prophets of old exclaiming their message and disappearing.
The traveller i met still has more to say. If you haven't read the first one go back to "the Traveller" but this post explains my outlooks changing.
The traveller was still sat opposite me as i made my way to CHICKS. He'd told me his best and worst chances in life. But then he began saying how he finds it difficult to take, not a euphemism but taking gifts or other things from people. He much preferred giving, it was in his way of doing things. He had told me of his philanthropy of the people he'd tried to help.
I finally decided to tell the truth. I apologised and began to explain how i had been embarrassed to say that my true destination was a charity helping some of the most disadvantaged kids of Britain.
He accepted it quickly, he told me there was no need to be embarrassed about something so great. How he could tell givers a mile off and that's why he'd talked to me in the first place. So i went on to explain my first CHICKS camp, the kids and people I'd met and the difference in 6 days. About everything, the way it was all changing my life and how good it was.
Then he asked me for a favour. To explain what he'd learnt to those kids so as they keep on the right path. That those kids, no matter how hard their lives are can get through them and become great. They can do or be whatever they want to if they put the effort in and to never ever give up.
I ensured him i would do everything i could.
At that point the train pulled into the station and he said goodbye and disappeared into the town, I'll never see him again. The near anonymous stranger, i knew his name but he could be anywhere living in the back corners meeting the shadows people try to ignore. It was as though he'd been sent to find me, of all the people on that train, of all the trains he could have gotten on, he found the person who needed to hear what he had to say. Then once we'd said what we needed to say he was gone. Like the prophets of old exclaiming their message and disappearing.
Monday, June 20, 2011
The old work horses!
Heritage railway lines are now great attractions across the UK which are still expanding. But they take a lot of work!
I work from time to time on Llangollen railway in North Wales. The brunt of the work is done by volunteers from various backgrounds, whether engineering or admin. Of course the people heading up the heavy work such as the lines themselves are professionals from companies like network rail who choose to help in their spare time. Their enthusiasm for railways is never ending.
They're currently building the Betton grange 6880 locomotive in the engine shed at Llangollen and it's an impressive statement of engineering. The extension frame has been machined down by a face mill and the entire engine is taking shape with assembly starting to take place. It just shows how much it is progressing and the work going into it is of such a high level. Although a far cry from the days of the Swindon works buildings thousands of steam engines in what was the largest works in the world at the time.
But the engineering that went into these machines in the first place is so intricate and yet of such a massive scale. Not to mention that these companies were doing such innovation and building so much, but from records they hardly turned a profit.
However heritage lines are all over the place and are doing well as tourist attractions. The line at llangollen draws a good crowd into town to ride allong through some beautiful valleys. Headed up by steam engines chuffing steadily allong. It may be a long way from the speeds they used to do being limited to just 25 mph but offers a look back in history to a time of manufacturing power in Great Britain.
They're currently building the Betton grange 6880 locomotive in the engine shed at Llangollen and it's an impressive statement of engineering. The extension frame has been machined down by a face mill and the entire engine is taking shape with assembly starting to take place. It just shows how much it is progressing and the work going into it is of such a high level. Although a far cry from the days of the Swindon works buildings thousands of steam engines in what was the largest works in the world at the time.
But the engineering that went into these machines in the first place is so intricate and yet of such a massive scale. Not to mention that these companies were doing such innovation and building so much, but from records they hardly turned a profit.
However heritage lines are all over the place and are doing well as tourist attractions. The line at llangollen draws a good crowd into town to ride allong through some beautiful valleys. Headed up by steam engines chuffing steadily allong. It may be a long way from the speeds they used to do being limited to just 25 mph but offers a look back in history to a time of manufacturing power in Great Britain.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
The Traveller
I got on a train bound for the southwest for another CHICKS (country holiday for inner city kids) week which would be no ordinary ride. In fact as train rides go it was my favourite. Not particularly exciting, just different.
To begin i decided to talk to some people, not sure why but i did, i knew i'd get bored otherwise. So I attempted to talk to the person sitting next to me, an old guy and his friend, i got nothing back. Well until 2 minutes before i had to get off and he suddenly had all the questions in the world. Great timing.
So i boarded my second train, i had a booked seat somewhere and struggled through the carriages with a bag and guitar, never an easy feat. But when I got to my coach just outside the near silent seating area was a small, bench seated section separated by a door from the main coach. A solitary hole, it suited me perfectly and meant i could sit with all my things. So i sat there reading my new scientist and drinking ribena, two things that don't really fit but nonetheless i was pretty satisfied. Until he turned up!
A man with a massive rucksack who looked like some sort of hobo clambered into my section sitting opposite me. So much for being solitary.
"How long has this section been here?" he asked.
"Sorry, what?"
"How long have they had this bit on the train?" he said once more in shorter simpler words. A trainspotting hobo? I know a lot about trains but this is a difficult question.
"Well, erm, i really don't know." Not much else of an answer really. He went on to explain how he also liked this section of the train before introducing himself. We talked, more he talked and i listened best i could whilst the wind whipped through the door next to me. He had had quite a life really and he gave me his autobiography right there. From Being in the army, to working freelance for alsorts of companies across the world. He told me how his daughter tried to enrage him by coming out as gay. It was the way that she'd said it more then anything, but he just accepted it, explaining that he has no problems with gay people, even his best friend was gay. Which apparently annoyed her. She wanted a retort.
The half way point and he offered me a beer. I respectfully declined, turning up to a childrens camp drunk is generally not a good thing to do. He ask me what it is i do and where i was headed. I explained my university course and made up something about visiting a friend in Exeter, i just wasn't that comfortable telling him what i was actually doing there.
Then he started to explain his getup. Although he still had a lump of money in the bank he goes from place to place sleeping out meeting some of the worst off people. I think he finds it hard to stick in one place. But he told me about the most recent person he'd befriended, a big issue salesmen. The last couple weeks he'd slept allongside him in the small big issue shelter. The salesmen had found himself without a job, a house and stripped of his money left out in the cold. He'd suffered a lot but hadn't turned to drugs of alcoholism, he was trying to start a new with the help of the big issue.
The traveller explained what he'd seen of him and upon leaving he left a present, his waterproof gear, army North Face overtrousers, an expensive and useful present that he left secretly in the shelter to be found by the salesman. Who then attempted to give it back before being told it was his to keep.
The traveller told me how he gives what little he has to help these people although he would soon be heading back to work to rekindle his bank account. An anonymous philanthropist had sat down before me.
His best friend had passed away in the last few years. As he'd sat at his side for months through kimo, through his pain. Cancer had set upon him when his life had just been turned around. The traveller told of the drug addicted wreck of a man who he'd dragged up from rock bottom, been the friend to push him away from the drugs, into a good job, life had finally begun to look good. To have an illness like that set in and take him away was like a mockery. They'd gone through alsorts of treatment before he gave up the ghost. Perhaps that's just it, when we find out how great life is and start living it right God considers us worthy of his Kingdom and takes us before our time.
To begin i decided to talk to some people, not sure why but i did, i knew i'd get bored otherwise. So I attempted to talk to the person sitting next to me, an old guy and his friend, i got nothing back. Well until 2 minutes before i had to get off and he suddenly had all the questions in the world. Great timing.
So i boarded my second train, i had a booked seat somewhere and struggled through the carriages with a bag and guitar, never an easy feat. But when I got to my coach just outside the near silent seating area was a small, bench seated section separated by a door from the main coach. A solitary hole, it suited me perfectly and meant i could sit with all my things. So i sat there reading my new scientist and drinking ribena, two things that don't really fit but nonetheless i was pretty satisfied. Until he turned up!A man with a massive rucksack who looked like some sort of hobo clambered into my section sitting opposite me. So much for being solitary.
"How long has this section been here?" he asked.
"Sorry, what?"
"How long have they had this bit on the train?" he said once more in shorter simpler words. A trainspotting hobo? I know a lot about trains but this is a difficult question.
"Well, erm, i really don't know." Not much else of an answer really. He went on to explain how he also liked this section of the train before introducing himself. We talked, more he talked and i listened best i could whilst the wind whipped through the door next to me. He had had quite a life really and he gave me his autobiography right there. From Being in the army, to working freelance for alsorts of companies across the world. He told me how his daughter tried to enrage him by coming out as gay. It was the way that she'd said it more then anything, but he just accepted it, explaining that he has no problems with gay people, even his best friend was gay. Which apparently annoyed her. She wanted a retort.
The half way point and he offered me a beer. I respectfully declined, turning up to a childrens camp drunk is generally not a good thing to do. He ask me what it is i do and where i was headed. I explained my university course and made up something about visiting a friend in Exeter, i just wasn't that comfortable telling him what i was actually doing there.
Then he started to explain his getup. Although he still had a lump of money in the bank he goes from place to place sleeping out meeting some of the worst off people. I think he finds it hard to stick in one place. But he told me about the most recent person he'd befriended, a big issue salesmen. The last couple weeks he'd slept allongside him in the small big issue shelter. The salesmen had found himself without a job, a house and stripped of his money left out in the cold. He'd suffered a lot but hadn't turned to drugs of alcoholism, he was trying to start a new with the help of the big issue.
The traveller explained what he'd seen of him and upon leaving he left a present, his waterproof gear, army North Face overtrousers, an expensive and useful present that he left secretly in the shelter to be found by the salesman. Who then attempted to give it back before being told it was his to keep.
The traveller told me how he gives what little he has to help these people although he would soon be heading back to work to rekindle his bank account. An anonymous philanthropist had sat down before me.
His best friend had passed away in the last few years. As he'd sat at his side for months through kimo, through his pain. Cancer had set upon him when his life had just been turned around. The traveller told of the drug addicted wreck of a man who he'd dragged up from rock bottom, been the friend to push him away from the drugs, into a good job, life had finally begun to look good. To have an illness like that set in and take him away was like a mockery. They'd gone through alsorts of treatment before he gave up the ghost. Perhaps that's just it, when we find out how great life is and start living it right God considers us worthy of his Kingdom and takes us before our time.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Britains manufacturing prowess!
Many of us when thinking about Britain's manufacturing power remember the days of old, back to the days of British Leyland at its peak. I realise i may not have been there at the peak but i remember how people talk of it and the pride once found in our country.
My dad often remembers his Rover V8 with enthusiasm. If I've been to a car show or museum he'll ask about the rovers. I must admit the old rovers do have a nice look to them and the V8's did and do go like stink. But in latter years, my years, rover fell flat. Working as a mechanic when a Rover came in you'd do what you could not to work on it. They fell apart. Don't mention a Rover head Gasket to me or i think I'll cry. On one car, the 25, we had to do a head gasket several times because the replacement gaskets would break near immediately. Thankfully they did finally fix that problem developing a new one!
But that's just how people come to think so poorly of British manufacturing in this country. Hence British Leyland crumbled and ask most people and they'll say manufacturing is dead in our once great country.
However, that's not exactly true. Depending on statistics we're about 7th in the world for manufacturing. We may not believe it but our country as it stands is being helped back to its financial feet by our manufacturing sector. The service sector is struggling to remain above the water but we are still building things. Not the big parts anymore maybe, but the little bits, the difficult small parts, chip boards. But we still have the car makers. We''ve still got BMW mini, it may be German owned but they're built in Oxford. The Honda plant in Swindon, they've struggled at points, especially more recently as they struggle to get parts from the now earthquake stricken Japan, nonetheless it is still there. Along with the makes of old, Morgan, Caterham, Aston Martin, Jaguar as well as introducing the new batteries of Nissan (by no means do i condone electric cars however) and the supercars of Noble and Lotus.
Engineering is right there in the heart of our country and will remain so if we expect to survive through our economic struggles.
My dad often remembers his Rover V8 with enthusiasm. If I've been to a car show or museum he'll ask about the rovers. I must admit the old rovers do have a nice look to them and the V8's did and do go like stink. But in latter years, my years, rover fell flat. Working as a mechanic when a Rover came in you'd do what you could not to work on it. They fell apart. Don't mention a Rover head Gasket to me or i think I'll cry. On one car, the 25, we had to do a head gasket several times because the replacement gaskets would break near immediately. Thankfully they did finally fix that problem developing a new one!
But that's just how people come to think so poorly of British manufacturing in this country. Hence British Leyland crumbled and ask most people and they'll say manufacturing is dead in our once great country.
Engineering is right there in the heart of our country and will remain so if we expect to survive through our economic struggles.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Poor Kids (BBC)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b011vnls
If you haven't watched it yet I urge you to do so on Iplayer as soon as you can.
Despite its peculiar time slot at 10:35pm it shines a light on our own problems in this country.
We focus our time, adverts, charities on third world countries, ignoring the plight of many people at risk in our own country. We have an estimated 3.5 million people living in Poverty right now in the UK. It's time we stopped being ignorant and faced the truth!
Poor Kids shows the stark realities for a lot of kids living in poverty. Some people still will refuse to believe that kids actually live like this, that this program like any other twists the truth to suit its ratings. But i have met Kids like these and it is often all too true. You can keep doubting but that won't help anyone.
The program focuses on several kids, one who lives in mold, a problem bought on by constant damp, often created by lack of heating, which they just can't afford. One who dreams of holidays, a playground which isn't falling apart and littered from drug users. To one boy who finds himself bullied because of the state of his clothes.
Sam who's 11 years old sums it up quite well. He tells life in his house as controlled by the money coming in from one day to the next. How the lights or heating will switch off as the meter clicks over and everything just... stops.
“Until dad gets a job we don’t have any money and sometimes I don’t get lunch and I have to save my hunger for when dinner comes and I eat it all,” Sam says.
He is made to wear his sisters old shirts which are specially marked to show that they're girls, old trousers which don't reach his shoes and a mop top hair style cut by his fathers unskilled hands. Needless to say the bullying hits him hard. He points out that it doesn't matter what you look like or the clothes you wear, its who you are and what you do that counts. Come his Birthday he receives a first trip to the barber, which he finds fantastic! The idea that it will help him fit in even a little bit better makes him feel great. Such a simple joy.
Courtney is found talking about holidays at one point. Her friend has been to several other countries but Courtney never had the chance. She questions why she doesn't get to go on holidays but it all comes down to being too poor.
The amount of Kids in our country that need help is horrific. But we can do things about it. We can give them a better chance. Look up charities like save the children, lets start asking these charities and the government what they're really doing and help push them forwards to sort this out.
With CHICKS we can give them the holiday they need, it may not seem an important part to you but it helps a child's self-esteem no end. Lets not let these kids think that they're not as good as any other, that they're bound to find themselves in the same position as their parents. This program shows that it's not their fault and they are by no means stupid!
I'm going to do what i can, what will you do?
If you haven't watched it yet I urge you to do so on Iplayer as soon as you can.
Despite its peculiar time slot at 10:35pm it shines a light on our own problems in this country.
We focus our time, adverts, charities on third world countries, ignoring the plight of many people at risk in our own country. We have an estimated 3.5 million people living in Poverty right now in the UK. It's time we stopped being ignorant and faced the truth!
Poor Kids shows the stark realities for a lot of kids living in poverty. Some people still will refuse to believe that kids actually live like this, that this program like any other twists the truth to suit its ratings. But i have met Kids like these and it is often all too true. You can keep doubting but that won't help anyone.
Sam who's 11 years old sums it up quite well. He tells life in his house as controlled by the money coming in from one day to the next. How the lights or heating will switch off as the meter clicks over and everything just... stops.
“Until dad gets a job we don’t have any money and sometimes I don’t get lunch and I have to save my hunger for when dinner comes and I eat it all,” Sam says.
He is made to wear his sisters old shirts which are specially marked to show that they're girls, old trousers which don't reach his shoes and a mop top hair style cut by his fathers unskilled hands. Needless to say the bullying hits him hard. He points out that it doesn't matter what you look like or the clothes you wear, its who you are and what you do that counts. Come his Birthday he receives a first trip to the barber, which he finds fantastic! The idea that it will help him fit in even a little bit better makes him feel great. Such a simple joy.
Courtney is found talking about holidays at one point. Her friend has been to several other countries but Courtney never had the chance. She questions why she doesn't get to go on holidays but it all comes down to being too poor.
The amount of Kids in our country that need help is horrific. But we can do things about it. We can give them a better chance. Look up charities like save the children, lets start asking these charities and the government what they're really doing and help push them forwards to sort this out.
With CHICKS we can give them the holiday they need, it may not seem an important part to you but it helps a child's self-esteem no end. Lets not let these kids think that they're not as good as any other, that they're bound to find themselves in the same position as their parents. This program shows that it's not their fault and they are by no means stupid!
I'm going to do what i can, what will you do?
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