Midweek inspiration

I celebrated Mass at St German's this morning for seven people, as I will be doing for the rest of the summer, and on Saturdays too, as part of helping out during the interregnum. I enjoy being part of the everyday prayer life of a parish in this way. It's so much easier when duties are part of the regular structure of my life, somehow, less of an effort than having to turn up to attend a service. It's easy to be distracted if I'm not responsible for making things happen!

After lunch, Ashley and I attended a meeting of the city centre Licensees Forum. It's a 2 or 3 times a year gathering of license holders from local pubs and clubs, to which police and community safety people are invited. The new night time economy police officer was introduced, and the new licensing Sergeant spoke about criteria for livensees deploying plastic drinks containers on occassions attracting 30,000+ visitors. 

Ashley addressed the meeting about the cost of RadioNet subscriptions and what this covers. Lately there have been some grumbling from ill-informed users, making comparisons with commercial radio systems in other places, apparently at lower initial outlay, so it was time to set the record straight, and explain just how much added value RadioNet users get, with a stable independent voluntary not-for-profit organisation, with a high level of support on hand 24/7. He received a polite hearing with few questions. 

I think it's time to get busy informing and promoting what we do, to consolidate confidence in our outfit, rather than rely on passive acceptance of what we provide. I feel a CBS newsletter initiative coming on ... After the meeting, we went to see Kieron at Oner Signs about several print jobs we've commissioned from him. He's been tremendously helpful, re-constructing a couple of our logos to make them render in a more print friendly manner. His print shop is a constant hive of activity, with a healthy flow of jobs from city centre retailers large and small. The business seems to have grown despite recession, but Kieron and his crew work tremendously hard, and good repute naturally spreads by word of mouth.

For the evening Clare proposed an outing to Chapter Arts Cinema to see a film called 'The First Grader'. It tells the true story of a Kikuyu Mau Mau independence war veteran who decides aged 84 to go to primary school for the first time in his life, and learn to read and write. His decision followed the government's introduction of universal free primary education. It causes controversy, and not a little opposition and hostility. It's a testimony to his courage and humility as an adult learner, and gives an insight into his early life and his suffering in an English concentration camp in Kenya. Very powerful and inspiring.