Progress on My Skill

I've not done an update on 'My Skill' for a while, so here we are...

I was fortunate to be able to attend a canvas painting workshop recently, using acrylic paints...couldn't be more perfect for My Skill!

I found the session really helpful, with advice about mixing paints, different brushes,  building up the painting step-by-step and, ultimately, knowing when to stop.

I'm so pleased with the finished canvas... Highland Coo (à la Steven Brown). I can see improvement in my skill, and came away from the workshop with a renewed sense of wanting to paint more often!

I'm booked into another art workshop next week but that is digital art; it will be interesting to see another technique/perspective/style of art but should still all work towards improving my skills. 🙂

-Jenny-

A Change to My Challenge

As the post says, I recently changed what I am doing for My Challenge.

My initial choice was to lose weight and, whilst it was generally going on, I realised that it wasn't a SMART target as weight loss can sometimes be completely out of my personal control and even if I completely stick to diet and exercised as I should, I could still be in the position where my weight wasn't changing.

So....something more specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time-bound.... 

I've decided to challenge myself to be able to do a walk of 10miles.

I think the furthest I've ever walked, in one go, is about 6 miles (I was broken at the end), and I'd like to increase that. I want to be able to climb a mountain, I aspire to doing a long-distance walk (Coast to Coast maybe, or Hadrian's Wall) but I'll have no chance as I stand right now.

I've already started the process; I've been walking at least 1 mile, three times a week. Have been discovering lots of local places where I can walk without getting bored (that's an additional challenge for me) 

Having just completed the first month, I'm now going to double that distance and walk at least 2 miles each time. Over the remaining 5 months, I plan to steadily increase that distance.

As with the weight loss, it will be beneficial to my health and work towards the same goals as before 🙂

Looking forward to more walks!

-Jenny-

My Beliefs - completed!

I promised an update on the My Beliefs section of my Bronze award, well here it is...

As you know, My Beliefs section was centred around food poverty, with the aim of my project being as follows:

•Find details of all my local food banks, social supermarkets etc. and share with as many people as possible. Both for donating food and what to do if you need food.

•Actively find out what products my local food bank needs each week/month, and make a donation accordingly, encouraging others to do the same.

•Finally, my "project" will culminate in a Reverse Advent Calendar where I create a food hamper during advent by adding one item each day (instead of having an advent calendar where I receive a treat).

Bonus part...I will ask my son's school to consider arranging a collection for one of our local food banks, at Harvest Festival and at Christmas.

Support in the Local Community 

We have 3 local food banks/social supermarket. One of these is a new foodbank, which launched in November and "getting the word out" to the local community was very important.

•Rawmarsh Foodbank

•Rotherham Foodbank

•Rotherham Minster Social Supermarket

The 2 foodbanks require a referral from a local support agency (such as CAB or local council) however the Social Supermarket is a more direct approach, where anyone can become a member for 3 months and pay £3 to do a weekly shop of the available produce. The social supermarket tends to have fresh fruit and vegetables, and other perishables, whereas the foodbanks stock shelf-stable produce.

Donations to the Supermarket can be made direct to Rotherham Minster.

Rawmarsh Foodbank has many local drop-off points in the local area, for donations.

I have been following these local foodbanks on their social networking sites, to see what products they need and making regular donations, often sharing their posts so that more people are aware of what's is needed.

Advent Calendar 

Throughout December 2022, I did a reverse Advent calendar. Each day I added one Foodbank item to a box, ready to be donated at the end.

Some people choose to do reverse advent calendars during November, so that they can include Christmas donations too. I chose to do mine in place of a regular advent calendar, so the box was filled by Christmas Eve. My items were donated a couple of weeks after Christmas; the bundle included both food items and personal hygiene products (which are often needed too).

Bonus - as a member of the PTA at my son's school (hello My Community 😅), I suggested that the school asked for Foodbank donations for the Harvest Festival this year (previously, fresh produce had been brought into school and sold back to parents, to raise funds). The headteacher agreed and the school community really got behind it, so the newly-launched foodbank received a great donation 🙂

I'm really glad I chose this project for My Beliefs, and I know that I'll continue to support these local charities.

-Jenny-

My Adventure

I finally have a plan for 'My Adventure' 🎉

I have booked a 4 night, camping trip for during the summer holidays. I'll be taking my partner and children with me (it will be my partner's first proper camping trip, so that could be interesting!)

I've chosen this for 'My Adventure' as it is not something I would usually do but I've often  wanted to, especially in the countryside. We'll be stopping on a working farm, not far from Pickering, North Yorkshire. I have a 4m bell tent to use (pic from a test pitch in my back garden!)

I'm excited about this trip; I'm planning walks in the countryside, a trip to the seaside, and maybe a ride on a steam train! I need to explore what else is in the area, as it's not somewhere I've stayed before.

-Jenny-

6 Months!

Well, I reached the 6 month mark on Christmas Day, but I have not yet completed my Bronze Maverick Award.

My Challenge has proved more difficult than I hoped, and I have been unable to complete My Adventure so far.

Not to worry, I still plan to carry on! 🙂

I have a few more hours before I complete My Skills (not too many though) and I have finished both the My Community, and My Beliefs sections (will do a separate post for that soon 😊)

-Jenny-

Over Halfway

So, I'm now over halfway through my planned timeframe of 6 months; some things are going well, and others not so great.

Let's start with the good...'My Community' - whilst I had a couple of quiet months, my volunteer hours have picked up again and I've now completed 24 hours, so definitely on track to complete that section of my award on time.

It's been a wide variety of volunteer hours...I've been cleaning and organising donations for our Christmas Fayre (mainly teddies!) and creating new games, like the 'Crazy Claw Jolly Jars' game, for which I made these numbered balls.  Children will have to pick one of these balls using a grabby claw, and will win the prize with the corresponding number.

I'm also doing quite well with 'My Challenge' and, after stalling for about a month, I've have now lost 1st 6lbs, which is almost halfway to my target of 3 stone.

I feel I may run a little over the planned timeline, but it shouldn't be too much more - feeling positive.

'My Beliefs' is continuing steadily too. As mentioned previously, I convinced my son's school to use Harvest Festival as an opportunity to collect and donate food to our local food bank, which was successful.

It's seems that other local schools have done the same and my local food bank has had lots of donations recently ❤️

I'll pop another post on later this week about my challenges with the 'My Skills' and 'My Adventure' sections of the award, which are not going well at all!

-Jenny-

Still Going!

I haven't updated this blog for a while (6 weeks holiday and the kids have kept me busy!) but I've still been working on my Maverick Award 😀

I've added a few more hours for 'My Community' including meetings, and preparing finance reports. It's not much added to the total but we have a lot of events planned before Christmas so the hours will soon be adding up! 🎄

'My Challenge' is proving really difficult though; I was doing really well, and had lost over 1 stone but I have gone off track and I fear I've put a good chunk of weight on again 😔 I am back for a weigh-in on Tuesday, so we shall see...

I am making slow progress with 'My Skills' - I am putting in some time (although not as much as I'd like) but I can't say I'm seeing much improvement! 😅

I'm feeling really positive about 'My Beliefs'. I've started working on the Rebel 'Food Bank Challenge' which ties in so nicely with this section.

I've convinced the headteacher of my son's school to collect food bank donations for the Harvest Festival (in the past we've collected fresh produce and then sold it back to the school community, to raise funds). I also suggested that we make people aware of how they can access the food bank, if they need to. The school is in an area of deprivation and the community is so generous, even when they often have little themselves.

'My Adventure' is still on the back burner, initially scuppered by finances then, when I found a cheap campsite, stopped by lack of childcare! I feel like this section is going to extend my Bronze Award beyond the minimum 6 months simply due to the fact my cheap camping options aren't really feasible in the winter months!

-Jenny-