Assistant Receptionists Penny and Peter

What a busy day! 


Dad delivered our tree today and put up our towel dispenser (it might not sound important but it's going to make such a difference). The tree looks amazing. Although it is naked at the moment, I know the University of Exeter students are going to do something to it on Friday when they are putting up their 'Money Talks' exhibition in the hub in the afternoon. If you are interested in seeing the exhibition, Ian Cook (their lecturer) is trying to open up the hub to the public this weekend. I have no photos of the tree...doh! I need to get back on top blogging form :(


We had a very interesting visit from Simon Bowkett who is Business & Services Development Manager at Exeter CVS. He is planning a couple of meetings at the hub in the new year to bring together groups to work on a sustainability project. I am so excited to hear about this and more excited still that we are going to hold the meetings at the hub. Thank you to Magic Carpet who sent Simon our way. 

Talking of Magic Carpet, Peter who is running our Magic Carpet Choir popped in this morning and sat with me in reception as I couldn't head out to Real Food for our meeting as usual because I was manning the phones. Peter drummed up choir trade and it was a lot of fun to have a reception-buddy with me (especially as he came armed with flapjack). 

As I was phone-manning, I needed someone else to take charge of coffee time. Liz offered to run the Knitting group as Rach was tied up elsewhere and Penny made sure everyone was well looked after on the drinks front. They did such a wonderful job and it was liberating to see the place tick along in someone else's hands. This sustainable project is a team effort and the team is growing. Thank you so much Penny and Liz. My second reception-buddy of the day was 1 year old Penny. I think she did a slightly better job than Peter!!! She has a phone fixation and is at that lovely fluffy age. Penny is Liz's little one and as it's hard to teach knitting with a little one, she joined me in the office. In fact I Penny-napped her because she's fun.

Davey has a plan to run a strollers group from the hub. The idea had a really good response this morning from the mum's at the hub. If you are interested in more information, let me know. 

Darren came by and helped me babysit! Darren is writing a piece for a local publication on Notaries House and was supposed to be on a reccy. We distracted him slightly but he did take some amazing photos of the hub's ceiling bosses on his camera and it was amazing to see the bosses up close for the first time. There is so much detail on them that I had never seen before (I blame the mascara-smeared contact lenses I wear). It was busy in the hub today so Darren was reluctant to lie down to take the rest of the photos until he could ensure that he wouldn't be trodden on. He is coming back tomorrow to photograph the rest.

My Godmother Bobby came by to collect her last knitted boy doll for her grandson Jamie. That's three girls and two boys she has now. Well done Knitter Jenny for making Bobby's Christmas a happy knitted one.

Sophie and I set up the hub for tomorrow's Baby Fair this afternoon. It's looking great. Sophie has worked her magic in the play zone and Thirza and Lottie gave it a thumb's up. Sophie has worked really hard on this fair so it would be great to see it really well supported. 

On Friday Penny is running a skills swap at the hub. It is as simple as this...you bring something you can do and share it...whether you can make a brilliant cold cure, fold a Christmas napkin, Knit a decoration, decorate a Christmas tree (you can come and demonstrate on mine)....it doesn't matter...you come alone and share so the people who come along go home with a new skill. I love it! It's such a buzzy, simple, exciting idea. I am really hoping that this takes off and it happens every week. Maybe see you and your skill on Friday at noon. Now what shall I share?! Ummm...

In fact I am still trying to decide what to swap at the Crafty Swap tomorrow night at the hub. I may have to go to bed early and give all this some thought! Sweet crafty dreams Zzzzzzz!

Crafty Swap Party - This Thursday Evening

We would love to invite you to our end of year 'Crafty Swap Party.' We will be hosting the event at 'The Hub on the Green' 8 Cathedral Close, Exeter. ( A couple of doors down from ASK Pizza) Thursday 8th December 7-9 pm. Booking essential!

The Craft Hub Website

Christmas Choir/Sing-Song

Call it a choir, a sing-a-long, singing with the angels...it doesn't really matter. The point is that a large group of people are going to get together under the watchful eye of the extremely-enthusiastic, ridiculously tall (or am I very short?), and slightly magic singing Christmas (giant) elf that is Peter Kyrke-Smith. Now if that doesn't persuade you that if you aren't there you are going to miss out, nothing will. And no you don't have to be a great singer...this is about Peter showing us how to have a great time and Christmassy celebration with our voices. If you would like to book your place...see below

Starting Tomorrow - Birthing Classes

Janette's birthing classes start on 5th December. They are at The Hub on the Green and run from 6:30pm-8:00pm. If you would like any more information contact Janette.


Daisy Birthing uses active birthing and relaxation to provide mums-to-be with unique pregnancy classes to help you prepare for a positive birthing experience.  Classes combine a range of  techniques such as pregnancy yoga, traditional active birthing, birth breathing education, birth hypnosis and relaxation, to allow mums to learn as they move.  This muscle memory approach really works to make birth instinctive - as it should be.   You do not have to be super fit or bendy - we are so gentle that even ladies with spd can benefit.  We are suitable for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and subsequent pregnancies because our class is so much more than just birth education, providing a vital outlet for releasing stress and for working on pregnancy ailments.  Plus remember every birth plays out differently, so revisiting 'confidence boosting'.


Contact Janette:

janette_lazydaisy@sky.com

01392 202585 or 07703 069560

Exeter's Homebirth Group Meeting

Exeter Homebirth Group is looking forward to our next meeting and our first year anniversary!

Tuesday 10^th January 2012 will be sponsored by Cathy Mudge, Midwife and Acupuncturist, who will be giving an informal talk.

Cathy was a Community Midwife attending Homebirths in the Exeter area, and has continued with this interest with her Acupuncture treatments for pregnancy problems, in particular.

1.Turning Breech babies with Moxabustion.

2. Pre-labour treatments to encourage a posterior baby to turn.

3. General tonification if a women is tired or anxious.

4.Induction of labour if overdue.

5. Acupressure points to use during birth.

'I offer a special rate for pregnant women and have a lot of experience and support that I can offer to any mother to be.'

Cathy practices at Sustain Health Clinic at the Hub on the Green. Contact her atcathy.mudge@yahoo.co.uk or visit http://www.acupunctureexeter.com/.

On the 10^th Jan we will be at the Hub on the Green in Exeter from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, all are welcome!

As always at our meetings, there will be time to talk through any questions you may have with experienced homebirthers and birth professionals and plenty of cake!

The Hub on the Green is right next to the Cathedral, in a fabulous medieval hall that has been are various classes and workshops and also each day (except Thursdays and weekends) the ‘Pop-Up Café’ where anyone can stop by for an inexpensive hot drink and a friendly chat. The address is 8 Cathedral Close (between The Royal Clarence and Southernhay in the black & white Tudor building) Exeter EX1 1EZ. There is free street parking in the evening close by at Southernhay.

For more information about the Hub, contact Joey Lee, Community Projects Director at joey.lee@sustaincare.net or visit www.hubonthegreen.net.

We are not meeting this month but you can always reach us by email or phone. We are happy to chat or simply listen.

Warmly,

Clare Lowing 07866 217297

Claire Arnold 07972 922261

No Fair Tomorrow!

Just to make double sure after Catherine pointed it out to me...we had our fair last week (it is usually the first Saturday of the Month but we moved ours so it didn't clash with Magdalen Road's fair). So we have no fair tomorrow.

Building's Night Out

In Notaries House (at the back of the hub) there are lots of businesses on different floors. Lots of the offices  have just a couple of people in them so clever Sharon upstairs invited everyone to have a Christmas do together. We passed each other all the time and said a cheery hello, maybe we would stretch to a quick conversation while the kettle was boiling but about the weather or plans for the weekend. Then we went out and I had a great time and got to know each other. Thank you Sharon. 

But this morning it was hard to say a cheery hello to anyone as no one from the other offices seemed to turn up until about 11 and a good 50% didn't come in at all! Smug me came bouncing in fresh as a daisy after being relatively well behaved. And being alone this morning was perfect as I put Radio 2 on and listened to Gareth and his choir interviewed only for our very own choir master to turn up to say hello. 


I rewrote the boards (see previous post) and I can't believe how many more exciting groups have come to the hub in the past few weeks. I went to Rainbow toy shop and paid for the giant marble run they are selling. We can collect it on 20th December and Sophie (who found it for sale and did the deal and sent me to pay!!!) is very excited about it. I may have trouble getting Sophie, Thirza and their marbles to go home in the evening!

"The blocks are great, Joey...
but when do we get the marble run?"

I had an exciting phone call yesterday evening from a quilter who would like to run some quilting groups and would like to take a look at the hub. That's spot on in my book. The idea of youth quilting was floated too. 


I had a great visit from someone who may run a very exciting regular fair at the hub. Hub Pixies please pull this one off and it is all about community support. The plan fitted perfectly with the University of Exeter students who came by this afternoon with their lecturer Ian who is inspirational. They are looking at money and the impact of the way we spend it but not in a 'chalk and talk' way but in an exciting way. They are going to create an exhibition which will be at the hub from a week today for a week. I promised them a Christmas tree which I now have a week to find. Any ideas? There's a nice one in the centre of Princesshay that would look good in the hub if someone would help me to move it!!!


The late night dancers have confirmed that they would like to carry on dancing into 2012. 


I have taken my first children's party booking on condition that Canon Morter next door isn't planning a quiet afternoon in that day. 


And on twitter (which I am slightly addicted too) we had lots of #ffs. Thank you Hub Pixies for taking such good care of us this week and thank you all Hubbies/Hubbettes (whatever you want to be called) for throwing yourselves wholeheartedly into or behind or in front of what we are doing. As someone said last night, "What exactly are you doing?!" And as I said to Matt who popped by today, "We are making the world a better place, one community hub at a time."

My new boards...

...I am looking forward to needing a bigger one!

Looky Here!

Choir-tastic!

I had a good meeting with Peter today where we were going through the final details for the choir. There are two sings before Christmas on the evenings of 15th and 22nd December 5:30-7:30pm. This is Magic Carpet's (run by Peter Kyrke-Smith's choir). He has done some pretty amazing things and I know the choir will be brilliant. Mature children are welcome. Current non-singers and reluctant singers are welcome. I get the feeling Peter likes a challenge so please don't think this is for experienced choristers. We are going to be a community choir and we are going to be fab. And if we aren't we can have a go at Peter for failing in his task (he'll be reading this!). The sessions are £4 and if you would like to book a place please phone Rob 01392  422938.

The 2012 community choir is a daytime choir for adults. It will be on Tuesdays from 10am-12noon at the hub. Again phone Rob.

I would love to blog some more but it will have to wait until tomorrow as Sarah has just arrived and we have a party to go to!!!