It's a wet and windy day so far, but while I am waiting to meet up with my mentor, Scott, in the midst of the ever growing Canary Wharf area, I feel it is time to expand on all that is going on.
We are preparing various pieces of paperwork - all started but not finished as yet. But this week is crucial to get as much done as possible. Business Plan is updating and emerging. Proposal and Presentation to Islington Council re working on Council Estates is proving to be tricky but exciting. I have also been gathering as much support for us, through networking and meetings.
Had a cracking meeting with Jack at the London Offices of UK Active. After attending their event last week on Technology (apps, watches etc) around the fitness industry, held at the Olympic Village site in East London, I contacted them to see if they could help us at all in our formation. They are like a Trade Association for the industry, and their 'mantra' - in the logo above - follows what we are partly trying to achieve too. I think there is scope for us to work together. He loved our work and what we are setting out to do. Hopefully more will follow.
I have also got meetings arranged for the CCG lady, Sarah, who completed the fantastic and thorough report on us - recommending funding even though we did not achieve it. I want them on board with the council work. I also will be meeting Osh Gantly again, if re-relected in the upcoming local council elections this week, as she is the mental health champion on the council, as well as one of my local councillors, and also likes the work we are doing.
Last week, I managed to have a really good chat with a lady called Sophie, who is one of the North London co-ordinators for the Lottery. They have a "partnership and community fund" that smaller companies like ourselves can apply for, in partnership with bigger supporters. For the Council Estate presentation, we want to see if we can partner with the Council, CCG, and Public Health and apply for cash to pay for three years of work - full salaries and running costs. Ambitious? yes. But isn't that a good thing?
With all that in mind, there is a lot to do in the next fortnight. We are meeting Fateha tomorrow, the manager of Highbury Grange Medical Centre, and that is to organise a start date for the upcoming Ajani course we are running through the centre. It is a great opportunity to invite someone from the couoncil, ccg, public health to see what we are doing - event the Job centre. We are also asking to meet with Single Homeless Project re the course starting in June - just 8 weeks away.
We have to prepare the handouts and files for both those coutrses, as well as arrange the fitness sessions and the days out. Together, with the business plan, the proposal, the presentation, the finance spreadsheet for the three year forecast, and managing the fitness sessions and the walk, it is a lot to get on with - all voluntary of course.
Finally - re the walk. We are excited with numbers at the moment - and the Medical Centre recently took ownership of a fantastic Roller Banner (a picture will appear tomorrow) promoting it, that will be on display. We are coming up to the one and a half year birthday of the walk (astonishing when U think about it), and I am proposing to surprise the group with a fantastic free tour of a local building (I will leave the details out at the moment). We also may have found a partner to start a walk in Kings Cross (more to follow).
So all is go. We are so so close to giving ourselves a chance to establish our program, build our walks, and prove ourselves.
