I read this article, The Hidden Offenders, a couple of days ago and it is as useful as it is disturbing.

I noticed these on Darren's blog and thought they were a great idea! Throw and Tell balls for discussion starting etc (there's lots of different ones). I e-mailed the U.S of A based company to find if I could order but didn't get a reply.

Oh, have found they are available from Eden and I've ordered some :-)
Review will follow some time soon!

Yvonne (Childrens officer) and I are seeking some willing volunteers to join us for a discussion that will be fed into the national review of Children and Youth Strategies for the Church of England. If you are a volunteer or an employed worker, lay or clergy then we'd love to hear from you!

The event will take place at St Matthew's Church in Oxford on WEDNESDAY 24th SEPTEMBER from 10.30am - 12.30 followed by lunch (provided).

It's really important for us to get involved with this to help inform national thinking about how the church does and doesn't engage with children and young people - and to do this we need your help!
We'll spend some time sharing stories and thinking about the five marks of mission set out in 'Mission-Shaped Church' and the challenge to be a people of mission rather than people who do mission. We want to consider how the Church's engagement with children and young people might look in the light of this. (N.B. You do not need to read 'Mission-Shaped Church' beforehand!!! We'll take you through the 5 marks of mission in an easy kind of way on day, gathering feedback as we go).

Travel expenses will be covered and lunch will be provided (I think I already said that but it seems a good selling point).

For those who might be TOMTOM* assisted St Matthew's Church address is Marlborough Rd, Oxford, OX1 4LW.

Parking options as follows; Redbridge Park and Ride, Hinksey Park Car Park, local road parking in Whitehouse Rd is restricted to two hours for non-residents.

A map can be found here

Apologies for the really short notice and praying that some folks have space available on Wednesday mornings... Let me know if you are keen and able to make it plus any dietary requirements and all that.

* Other brands of Sat Nav are available

Oh happy days that in Youthwork we can work with one adult to every eight young people, Children's work it seems may be a LOT more labour intensive!

The Youth Sector Development Fund (YSDF) will help organisations to grow their capacity, support them to compete for local contracts and become fully sustainable.

Applications are welcome from organisations which provide services to society's most vulnerable young people, and particularly those whose work has a focus on preventing young people from committing crime, or becoming involved in anti-social behaviour, and those that, through the provision of positive activities, provide engaging and constructive alternatives for young people.

The deadline for applications is 3 October.

This however does pose a problem as to what to replace the tuck with? Fruit has limited appeal and goes off really fast. Toast works in some settings BUT generally it's kind of difficult to replace the attractively hued sucrose with something that will actually appeal and sell.

However, coming out of the Motorway services on the M42 today a lady pressed a packet of "Mini Bearables" into my hand and claimed she was part of the Natural Confectionery Co. and that the proffered comestibles contained no artificial flavours or colours!

I planned to take them home to my 8 year old for a live taste and behaviour test BUT I began my own inquiries and my scientific experimentation accounted for the entire sample.

I checked out the web site though which was intriguing (and fun) but contained no useful information on sourcing them. Still, assuming it's not a windy day .... they may be worth a try!

*The other question I get asked a lot is whether I could please stop singing

I am no longer an ebay virgin. I finally succumbed to it's for-bidding portal and bid on the kayak of my dreams, specifically a Robson Waikiki that a fellow paddler was pedaling. Sadly I was beaten .... but ever the optimist I am sitting by my computer waiting for the e-mail that I feel sure will come telling me that the winning bidder turned out to be a time-waster and my bid wins, oh yes!

I also took the chance to buy 'Noah and the Whale' singing '5 years time' which is such a quirky, feel-good and fun track, fab!

(*The original is here)

Although I believe it was a useful illustrative story of important youth-work issues, on reflection however I recognize that I posted it too close to the event and included too much specific detail.

I have therefore removed the post and offer my apologies to the organisation involved.

The venue will be Church house Oxford for this terms network meeting and I look forward to welcoming you here for fun, chat, prayer, some input, FOOD and some time with Bishop John!

Dec 1st Church House 10:30 for 11am - 3pm! More details to follow

I can't believe how fast the festival goes BUT then again, time flies when you are having fun.

GB 2008 was fab! As ever a lot of the GB experience was in the being rather than the doing, investing time (and money) in the 'Tiny Tea Tent' or 'The Jesus Arms' (organic beer tent), chatting, meeting, laughing and telling stories.

There was a massive programme of stuff happening BUT as this years' GB was a whole family outing it proved harder to get to events I would have been to was I festivaling solo. The stuff that I missed though was MORE than made up for by seeing how much my three gained from the festival and how much fun they generated in the process. Managing where they all were at any one time was hilarious and at one point involved retrieving my eldest (disabled) kid from lost property! (All credit to the stewards who were wonderful with him).

Musical Highlight: Beth Rowley
Performing Highlight: Tajikstan Break Dancers
Food Highlight: Thai chili Chicken Noodles
Venue Highlight: Tiny Tea Tent

On of todays projects is to buy some of the seminars on mp3 and catch up with what I would have been at if I wasn't so occupied with my tribe!