Two days in Milton Keynes

So, thanks to the generosity of the CRT I spent yesterday and today in Milton Keynes at the Canal & River Trust's headquarters there.

The building where CRT have their HQ reflecting the sunset.

I was visiting to be trained in two courses: Basic Fire Water Save A Life which is a basic fire and water safety course involving some CPR and resuscitation training, and H&S Foundation which lays out the basic Health and Safety requirements and responsibilities for Trust staff and particular volunteers.

Taking the two courses is part of my process for becoming a qualified volunteer skipper for CRT craft - something I'm rather fond of doing. I was, however, the only volunteer there, all the other course attendees were CRT staff, from all over the country and every level of the organisation. It was great meeting people as varied as my latest local data collector and the National Heritage Manager as well as the lead staff of the Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum.

Both courses were excellent and gave me rather a lot to think about, especially the Health and Safety course which has me rethinking quite a few of the things I do as a volunteer in terms of improving how safe I can be and how safe I can make activities for others. It also flagged up some difficulties volunteers have in accessing CRT policies. I don't want to share it all here as I'm still thinking through this stuff and want to discuss it with Darren Starling and other staff - but I'll want to share some of it with other volunteers when I meet up with them again.

Sorry, I'm being a bit vague. More when I work some of this stuff through my brain and into action!