Page 244 - She's One Crazy Lady!

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addition to this amount, wanted to support us further by offering to print Christmas cards for us to sell. It was suggested we ask school children to design the cards by holding a competition – the theme being Christmas Hats. This really was a boost and I was soon on to it, helped a lot by Sue and staff at the printing firm and by Colemans in Wellingborough, who offered to donate prizes to the winning children. Entries were sent out to schools and, with a good response, Sue and I judged them at the printers, ably assisted by willing staff from the Breast Team. Sterling held a little party for the winners and their parents, where the children could see their cards being printed. Hundreds of packs of high-quality cards were printed and through our contacts and word-of-mouth, we distributed packs on a sale and return basis and delivered packs to many outlets who were keen to sell them. We also booked ourselves in to various Christmas Fairs and had stands at KGH at weekends to sell them. Like the Crazy Hats Day, this project drew a lot of attention to what we were doing and more donations were sent in. The cards helped to raise over £5,000. More importantly, whilst we were out and about selling them, people were openly and willingly, telling us of their cancer experiences; the need for what we were doing, evident. Psychologically, this was helping me so much.
re openly and willingly, telling us of their cancer
At home, Mum’s health and well-being was worrying so it was time to talk to her about needing and accepting extra support and care, but not at home. It was such a sensitive time and Mum must have felt so confused and upset – we did too, but we knew she could not continue living on her own. We didn’t rush her and in time she agreed to go and visit one or two places – just to have a look, she said. We looked at one, which was awful, so left it for a while before approaching the subject again, but behind the scenes, doing some homework to seek out other possibilities and giving Mum time to come to terms with the idea.
I had been advised to apply for what was called Headlamp Training to receive Headteacher training and in time they got back to me saying that funding would be given for me to proceed but I would have to organise any training I felt I needed myself. They suggested work shadowing, shadowing other Headteachers in the area, if they would allow me to. The suggestion of further training came about after the LEA asked if I would consider covering for a deputy head in Northampton, to teach year 2 children, so that the deputy head could go to Highfields, that it would give me good teaching experience and I would be doing ‘my bit’ to help Highfields! They said it would
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