Page 13 - Jigsaw April 2020

Chairman’s Report – Cllr Karen Draycott
A Journey of Discovery
Just a few weeks ago at work, I was supporting a SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities) student during a mock examination. She was and remains extremely anxious about her ability to cope.
The fear of failure was for her overwhelming. I sought to reassure her that I will be here for the duration of the exam and that should she need moral and/or re-assuring support I would be there for her.
Cllr Karen Draycott
now and it always will be so. An amazing human being, we don’t need to prove an existing self – evidential fact. Our place in the world is here and now, our time is now, now is our time.
However, we may all want
the best for our families, friends and communities for the future, we must never forget to live today, moment by moment we will all discover how wonderfully amazing we are, embrace the moment and cherish each other.
When I moved away to
allow her some space, I heard
this profound inner voice saying to me “You are not going to become amazing, because you are already amazing. Education is the art in which we discover just how amazing”. This poses the question about our own sense of self, worth and value?
Leading up to becoming Mayor and Chairman of Thrapston Town Council, I too had many self- doubts, why me, why now and what do others see in me that wants them to place trust in oneself. I am now not sure where my comfort zones begin and end? The lines have become blurred and not distinct anymore from each other. It reminds me of a book I read over 25 years ago called ‘Feel the Fear and do it anyway’ by Dr Susan Jeffers. I felt the fear and said ‘yes’, it was truly a liberating feeling of release from the mentally paralysing and dark place of fear.
Returning to the student I supported,
I told her after the exam that she is amazing, not going to be amazing, but is
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