Monday morning, 30th January

Day one of my new role as Angling Development Officer for the Reading Borough and I’m full of anticipation (and a little bit nervious) but I’m sure I’ll be okay once I get there.

I arrive at the South Reading Leisure Centre to meet up with Brendan O’Mahony from NACRO, Lisa Pearce from Reading Borough Council and Adam Toombs who will be the Nacro volunteer co-ordinator for Reading area.

My morning with them took the form of a introduction to the sports and activities in the borough and also about the company I now work for, Nacro, in partnership with RBC and both their company policies.

Adam and I were then whisked away to the Reading borough council offices at Fountain House, where I will be working, and the main building…..WOW! How am I ever going to know where I’m going, it’s enormous!

We then went back to the South Reading Leisure Centre and watched an open sports day for people with a disability. It was very well supported by lots of people both with and without a disability and it looked fun! I just had to join in with them. The day went by very quickly and i found myself again on the road back home… what a day!

Tuesday 31th

Today I’m going to Fountain House to meet Charles, another sports officer for Reading and I’m going to shadow him at The Childrens Fund Project to get a tasting of the sort of thing I will be expected to do with the ‘Angling’ side of things. This I can’t wait for as I’ve driven past the River Thames, River Kennet and various lakes and itching to get the fishing rods out!

Charles took me and Adam around the different areas of Reading to help both me and Adam get used to the area and show us some of the sports activities that he is involved in with the Children’s Fund Projects… another great day BUT NO FISHING!

Things will be a bit slow at the moment for the Angling due to the settling in period this may be til the end of the month and it is hoped that I can take my first group of budding Anglers out for the day?

Bye for now.