This week has been a different week for me largely spent filling in funding application forms. It’s always fun to try to understand what each funder wants to hear. Although you may be applying for the same thing, each funder needs a variation so sending the same application isn’t an option. It is not only about development and funding new things but finding the money to continue with the work we are doing. These applications were about future development which is exciting and will lead to new opportunities.
Our newsletter will be due in the next week so I was doing an interview of a carer and a person with a lived experience of dementia. We aim to feature their story in this issue so it was good to hear just how Forget Me Notes and music impacts upon their lives.
Thursday was a pretty full day which started in the morning when I was visiting one of our volunteers who is in hospital. She is an amazing volunteer with a strength of spirit like you have never seen. It was good to see her and support her at a time of her need. She is so often the person supporting others. I then had a meeting with Paul and look at various things that we will be doing over the next weeks and months. If you have attended our Sing-a-thon before then you will be keen to know that we are doing this again on the 9th of November. It is always a day of great fun as we sing for twelve hours.
When I got home on Thursday evening I had a very pleasant surprise. I opened a letter that was sent to me and Paul from the Provost of Edinburgh. Following our showcase, one of the Councillors who had been at the event had gone back to a council meeting and spoken about Forget Me Notes. This led to the Provost sending on behalf of the council a letter of thanks for all that we have delivered to the people of Edinburgh. I am sure you will understand when I say I was shocked and overjoyed. Our role is to raise the voices of those we work with and to help tell their stories so that we build a community that has a greater understanding of each other. It is an immense privilege to work with those we work with and when it is recognised that we are doing this well it is pretty wonderful.
My week finished off with sessions at Strachan House and Craighall. I have to admit that following the letter I had a spring in my step and an increased sense of what we are all achieving together.
One of the things I enjoy about being the administrator of the Facebook Posts is that I get to see the names of those people who either love or like the post. There are always people I know and people I don’t. I am always grateful for the way in which our lives have crossed over the years. For those who I haven’t met then I can only look forward to meeting you all some day. It feels like a good week to thank you all for your support, we couldn’t do this without you.
Have a great week.