Please do not feel sorry for all the travelling I have had to undertake over these past three years since joining the MWiB executive! One of the joys has been the occasional need to stay with my friend Rosemary, who lives in Morden, where she is a schools’ worker with London City Mission.
Rosemary and I first met when she was a teenager and I in my early twenties. She had arrived on the Girls’ Brigade summer camp where I was helping, and came to find me. “Do you have a spade?” she asked. Her mother, one of the adult helpers, was also on camp for the first time. I must have looked puzzled at the request. “Mum says there is a cow pat in her tent!” she explained.
You often remember your first encounter with a person or a place. My first experience of an MWiB executive meeting was in June 2014, just before my induction as Vice President. Gillian arrived with a large box, containing the first consignment of MWiB scarves. She was rather crestfallen, as the silver grey was not quite the colour she had envisaged. I have to be honest and say that it was not destined to become the favourite scarf in my wardrobe, either!
What I also remember from that initial meeting, however, is the warm and reassuring welcome which I received. I knew that I had stumbled into a group of women who would be fun to work with. They would challenge me, because we were all quite different in personality and background, but we all wanted to do our very best for the roles into which God had called us.
On Tuesday I shall chair my last executive meeting before reverting to the role of Vice President. My diary still has plenty in it to keep me busy over the coming year, and I look forward to supporting Sandra from the wings, just as Linda supported me. Please remember that in September we shall be advertising for the next Vice President/President and a new Finance Officer, as both Gillian and I step down. Do consider whether you, or someone you know, might be a possible applicant for either role. Gillian or I would be very happy to talk someone through the responsibilities of these opportunities to serve voluntarily if that would be helpful. All expenses are fully covered in both roles.
