Carers need more than hugs & chocolate.

An amazingly personal blog from Jane McIntyre this week whose family is affected by Dementia. Jane explains how she, her sister and 5 health care professional looked after her dad for the weekend, while her dads partner, Phyllis, had some time away and a weekend break by the seaside. Jane’s blog is full of admiration for the care Phyllis provides. Jane also looks at how we cope when we care for our parents and how the role of parent/child is sometime reversed. Thank you for sharing this Jane.

Carers need more than hugs & chocolate by Jane McIntyre

Un-like us

Eddie Coates-Madden recently pitched a session at the LGComms Academy unconference session on how to move into sexy and leadership jobs in central government. Eddie led a lively discussion which questioned whether comms folk, who are skilled at representing others, may not have the confidence or belief to sell themselves for jobs or professional development opportunities. Those involved in the session agreed that this needs to change, that comms folk need to regain some pride, recognise their value and go for those sexy leader jobs.

Un-like us by Eddie Coates-Madden

ECCF personal and professional improvement

Graham Kane has recently completed the Early Clinical Careers Fellowship (ECCF) which is an initiative unique to Scotland designed to assist talented newly qualified nurses and midwives develop the personal, professional and academic skills they need to become nurse leaders. Graham notes that the end goal for anyone who undertakes the ECCF is ultimately to become a better nurse, which in turn will benefit the patients they care for.

ECCF personal and professional improvement by Graham Kane

Some Classic Karl…

This week Karl Green, who has been busy revising for exams, blogs about how he started writing when he was younger, and shares some of the titles and plots he wrote whilst still at school. Karl also shares with us a story he wrote when he was 13 called The Creation of the Ultimate. We do enjoy the fiction which is being submitted at part of blog club. On a separate note, I love the fact that Karl is so organised that at the end of each blog, he lets us know what he’s going to be blogging about the following week.

Some Classic Karl…. by Karl Green

Blogging, babies and Dambusters

Hello lovely bloggers, yes Kate Bentham again, curating week 21 blogs. You’ve been busy this week with some great blogs; I’ve enjoyed reading every one of them. You really are a talented bunch. Give yourselves a pat on and back, and have a slice of cake.

There were 11 blogs submitted this week, which again is lower numbers than we have been used to seeing, but we are prepared for a dip in blogs as the nice weather finally appears and people are out and about more, but if you spot something interesting whilst you are out and about, why not write a blog about it? #justsaying

The fabulous Janet Davis has written a great blog for anyone thinking about blogging, but who might not know how to go about it. In Blogging for beginners part 1 Janet shares her skills, knowledge and experience to help others get started. I know that if it wasn’t for Janet setting up the mighty fine Weekly Blog Club, I wouldn’t have started blogging – I wonder how many of you that’s the same for?

Ross Wigham has also been supporting others to blog, offering 2 guest posts this week on his bog. The first is Costume drama by Liz Ritson. Liz blogs about an exhibition of well known and loved costumes which have appeared in film and television and for which the costume designer received either a BAFTA, Oscar or a nomination. It is hoped that through the exhibition the skills of the costume designers will be recognised and appreciated.

The second post on Ross’s blog is by Maria Loupa and called Local market lovin’ looking at the national Love Your Local Market campaign. This campaign is to encourage new market traders and celebrate markets being at the heart of local communities.

We’re delighted for Elaine Hunter who has been asked to deliver the prestigious Dr Elizabeth Casson Memorial Lecture at the Occupational Therapy conference this year. Elaine is going to focus her blog on leadership and in A place to talk leadership #OTalk  Elaine explains how she has been preparing for her lecture. Good luck Elaine, I am sure you will be wonderful, and I look forward to the blog on how it went.

Our other health related blog this week is The Weight of History by Jeff Ace. In his blog Jeff looks at what the legacy of current health changes will be to future generations, something which needs to be taken into consideration with service redesign. Jeff and colleagues certainly feel the weight of expectation and responsibility on their shoulders as they ensure high quality integrated health and social care is at the heart of services to patients.

Louise Atkinson is continuing with her research as part of her practice led PhD and this week debates what the definition of a work of art might be, as a universal classification. Louise looks at ritual objects, semiotics and branding in Why art is not branding. I also know Janet would have done more justice to summarising this blog than me, so sorry about that Louise.

When Karen Hart started contributing posts to weekly blog club, I immediately enjoyed them. Karen is a great story teller, and this week I was excited to read that Karen is going to be turning her hand to more fiction writing. Karen even shares one of her short stories with us this week in Giving it all away 

Another great post this week is called One ounce of emotion beats a ton of scientific evidence. It’s all about “the babies….” by Chris Bolton. This post by Chris looks at the use of evidence in getting polices developed and practices delivered. Chris also considers the counter argument – the one often laced with emotion rather than scientific fact, the one that asks ‘what about the babies..?’ the question to which is often no answer to.

We have another glimpse into our past again this week in Bradford Grammar School Staff by Richard Overy. This wonderful photo from 1939 shows the teaching staff, with some wonderful faces to look at. I can’t help but notice that the teaching staff were all male.

The Only Way is Onwards, There is No Turning Back! by Karl Green looks at a television programme called Knightmare which Karl used to watch as a child. The programme saw contestants having to work as a team and defeat the dungeon. Karl admits this was the first geeky type thing he became a fan of.

There are some amazing images in Nearly missed the Dambusters! by Mark Wood, not only are there photos of military planes, but mayors, and boxers. Mark really is a stilled photographer and again proving that a blog can be a photo or two with some words written around it.

So if you have been inspired to give blogging a go and want to contribute your first post to weekly blog club have a look at our About page for details. If you are stuck for something to write about this week the [entirely optional] there is Heroes and Heroines, inspired by the Bowie programme which is on the telly box distracting me as I try to write this.

Remember, weekly blog club isn’t all about the blogging, it’s about the reading, commenting and sharing of posts, so if you have enjoyed any of the posts listed here be sure to let the writer know.

If you would like to have a go at curating weekly blog club, you can find out more about that here. I note with interest that in a week’s time it is National Volunteer Week, so why not pick a week which suits you and volunteer to be guest curator.

Until next time, stay cool.

Kate

Kate Bentham

Summary of Week 21 posts

1. Blogging for beginners part 1 by Janet Davis
2. Local market lovin’ by Maria Loupa
3. Giving it all away by Karen Hart
4. One ounce of emotion beats a ton of scientific evidence. It’s all about “the babies….” by Chris Bolton
5. A place to talk leadership #OTalk by Elaine Hunter
6. Bradford Grammar School Staff by Richard Overy
7. The Only Way is Onwards, There is No Turning Back! by Karl Green 
8. Nearly missed the Dambusters! by Mark Wood
9. Costume drama by Liz Ritson
10. Why art is not branding by Louise Atkinson
11. The Weight of History by Jeff Ace on the Dumfries and Galloway Health Blog

Blogging for beginners part 1

A fabulous post this week from Janet Davis offering some very helpful tips and advice for anyone thinking about blogging but not really sure how to go about it, or concerned that they may not have the skills or technical know how with how to blog. Janet has lots of blogging skills and experience which she so willingly shares in this Blogging for Beginners post.

Blogging for beginners part 1 by Janet Davis

Local market lovin’

A guest post this week from Maria Loupa on the Ross Wigham blog about the Love your Local Market campaign she has been working on in Northumberland. Maria explains how through the campaign is it hoped to attract new market traders but to also highlight the importance of local markets at the heart of communities.

Local market lovin’ by Maria Loupa

Giving it all away

I am very excited to read that Karen Hart is going to be writing fiction, she has a wonderful way of telling a story and this week she shares one of her short fictional stories. We hope to read more of Karen’s stories in future weeks she really is a wonderful writer.

Giving it all away by Karen Hart 

One ounce of emotion beats a ton of scientific evidence. It’s all about “the babies….”

In his post this week, Chris Bolton looks at the use of evidence in getting polices developed and practices delivered. Chris also considers the counter argument – the one often laced with emotion rather then scientific fact, the one that asks ‘what about the babies..?’ the question to which is often no answer to.

One ounce of emotion beats a ton of scientific evidence. It’s all about “the babies….” by Chris Bolton

A place to talk leadership #OTalk

Wow, Elaine Hunter has been asked to deliver the prestigious College of Occupational Therapy Dr Elizabeth Casson Memorial Lecture at this years conference which is taking place on the 19th June. In this blog Elaine shares how she is preparing for this lecture, the focus on which is Leadership. Elaine has invited, and received, some great comments.

A place to talk leadership #OTalk by Elaine Hunter