why oh why oh why Digest Number 540

[Guest guest]

I didn't offer on this occasion but I did help with the Vegan Society

AGM creche one time before I had kids of my own, when they ran it

using volunteers. I was in London Vegans and it was on a year when

they ran it using volunteers from London Vegans in the good old days

before I had children, when LV actually had several members who were

willing to help at creches. Before I had kids I was always

volunteering for all sorts.

 

If the organisers are interested in having my support in the future

with getting something organised, I do know a vegan mum who runs a

children's nursery and I would be happy to ask her if she and some of

her staff would be willing to run a creche at the NVF (or for the

Vegan Society AGM).

 

Don't forget that although I am not as active as you are, I have got

up off my backside and done some things, such as the vegan families

gatherings to build support and friendship between vegan families,

because so many are isolated. I have even been unfairly criticised by

other vegan parents (one mum found the vegan families group cliquey

which completely shocked me as it is so untrue, we are a very

friendly group because we are there for support and making

friendships) and yet the critics are too often unwilling to help to

improve things, even though I have been clear that we would most

gratefully welcome their help with new ideas for gatherings.

 

I also did volunteer to get a creche organised for some of the LV

meetings, before they booted me out that is. I was on the brink of

finding out about a local venue and I had found two women without

children of their own who were willing to help with a creche for the

LV meetings.

 

I don't want to volunteer to be actually the main person in charge of

running a creche for the NVF because as parents without extended

family support and one of our children still under a year old, my

husband and I hardly get any time together without the children as it

is, we need to USE a creche for ourselves to get some time, so I

would not want to be on creche duty all the time at an event. Another

year when I am free for a substantial length of time, I would

certainly volunteer to do a shift of an hour or two, especially if it

meant getting an hour or two with someone else looking after the kids

for us.

 

It is precisely because I have always been the first type of person,

the one who has done things and worked hard to solve problems and

help others, that I feel it is unfair that no-one helps me when I

need it.

 

ISTR the way it was a few years ago, it was the young activists who

had no kids who did all the work running the creches at such events

as the SLAA Cruelty-free Xmas, because they (myself included)

recognised that the parents needed to use it, and did not need to be

the ones running it, because that would be what is known as a

busman's holiday!

 

Sorry to be long-winded but your implication that I am the second

type of person really is so inaccurate. Obviously it is easier to get

a bad reputation than a good one, you have to do a lot more good to

get a good reputation than you have to do bad to get a bad

reputation, and this is so unfair.

 

Lesley

 

 

, " quercusrobur2002 " <grahamburnett@b...> wrote:

>

> > Why can't it be the way it was just a few years ago?

> >

> > Lesley

>

> Did you offer to help with the LVF creche?

>

> there seem to be two types of people, those who see what needs to

be

> done, get off their arses and do it, and those who say " why oh why

> oh why... "