Random Acts…

Thinking today about “doing good” it strikes me there is little financial gain on offer to businesses to do inherent good without some kind of quid pro quo; and I’m reflecting on an old tweet from a usability and user experience chap:

If organisations will never do good (as there’s no business case) or won’t do good until there’s scale for gov funding: perhaps doing good needs to be a side hustle in projects by individuals #SmallGoods pic.twitter.com/czV5WKlpPV

— Alastair Somerville (@Acuity_Design) February 9, 2018

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Asgard Rises!

Only days ago I was left bereft with the news that Vince and the wonderful community of gamers that is Asgard were to depart our Town Centre, and their future was deeply uncertain.

Tonight, wonderful news!

Hope for Sutton Project Launch

I’m some six months (and a bit) late in writing this, but it’s been a busy time.

The Hope for Sutton project, which encompasses a range of activities and initiatives supporting the local community in and around Mere Green launched last October. As part of the celebrations I was delighted to present an original piece of composition recorded and performed by students from three local primary schools. In return for their hard work I decided to keep the recording online for free, so they would have easy access to hear themselves in what is technically a world premiere.

Curinating

It’s been a while.

Honestly, I haven’t felt like there’s much to write about on a blog recently. The last year has been busy, and while good, there have been things I needed to deal with more urgently than composing and delivering blog content.

Carols and Cheer

Walsall Council run a market in the town every weekday except Thursday. On Thursday 21st December, however, the market is on and I’ve been invited to help spread some Christmas cheer with carolling at lunchtime.

2017 in review

It’s only a couple of weeks old, so it’s probably harsh to try reviewing 2017 already, but I know there are a couple of things coming up I wanted to muse on, so here goes.

[tl:dr Reflections on stuff that’s coming up, a couple of name drops and a quick delve through recent events. Normal service continues sometime soonish.]

Ales Beers and Carols

We’re going carolling in pubs again. It’s another glorious romp around some excellent ale houses with a piano and a sheaf of carol sheets which seems to be an annual indulgence. I’ve just sent an order to the printers for flyers (download yours in advance here if you like) and we have more pubs than ever on the list.

Love Your Neighbour in Walsall

I’m playing a gig in a couple of weeks in Walsall Town Centre. It’s only a short appearance on a stage I’m happy to share with a whole host of local performers, speakers and dignitaries. Love Your Neighbour is an initiative started in Birmingham and spreading across the country.

It would be great to see a whole crowd of people supporting their local community.

True Gritters

Last year, Walsall Council advertised for Snow Champions. People to clear sections of pavement and salt them after snow, for the benefit of the community. I signed up, because I like being useful and it came with a snazzy orange hi-viz vest.

Today at last I was able to put my skills into action, sweep the pathetically small amount of snow off my pavement and lay down some de-icing salt they provided. It’s not as though it took very long, although it was hard work, but it felt like I’d been useful.

WAUG survey. Important Opportunity to get involved.

Regular readers (if there are any!) will know I have been going to Parkrun at Walsall Arboretum for a few years. In fact, it’s coming up to my third anniversary. I haven’t been a consistent attendee, so am still some way off my century, but the point is that I’ve recently made more of an effort to get out in the freezing cold bracing outdoors and throw myself round three miles of green and pleasant land.