Let's face it, most people who volunteer are passionate about helping people - but for some influencing social change is also important. Volunteering for a campaigning organisation allows volunteers to help make things happen for large charities. Find out what the grass roots activists get up to here.

All | Isabel | Helen | Rachael | Carolynn | Moira

Thursday Jan 18, 2007

Meeting the Prime Minister and Mrs Blair

Hi Everyone,

Yes I know long time since I wrote anything, but I'll tell you all about my trip to No10 now.

Right to be more than honest it weren't all that good!  Now I could say it was fab but then I would be lying through my teeth!  I asked  before I went what I was going for and was told it was for my services to the voluntary sector and just to say thanks.  Now before I went to an extent I was rather excited about the whole thing when it came to the evening but, really I saw it as well....

Something that was to look good. We basically went to No10 and Tony Blair gave a 10minute speech saying thank you to all the volunteers there for there services to the voluntary sector then he talk about No10, I swear half of his speech was taking out of a book (Im not joking!).  Then he told us we were free to look round the rooms and mingle with everyone, then he proceeded to disappear.  Seriously, we never saw him after that.  He said at the end of his speech that there would be a prize for anyone who could identify who the women were in the pictures and he would see us out at the end, and well I couldnt of told him who the women were but that's besides the point.  When he was saying all this I couldnt actually see him either I reckon I would of got more out of it if I had of stayed at home and it was televised.

Im sorry but they got it wrong when they organised this event.  They should of maybe had over 2 occasions or just invited less people or better still have some kind of reason for the event because even now I still dont get the point of the whole event.  They were giving out glasses of wine and fresh orange etc and the it was all very posh  food as well I had something not quite sure what it was but basically I couldnt wait to get out so that I could get some real food, McDonald's at this point was like heaven.

Mingling I couldnt exactly do because there was that many people just standing and walking around it wasnt safe to move about.  It was that bad my brother who went to assist me in going told me to sit down which he never does.  Also I was told by this volunteer from Scope (sorry cant remember his name)  and he went into a seperate room and met Mrs Blair and has pic taken and he told me I should of came in with him and well he disappeared before he met with Mrs Blair and I wasnt aware she was going to meet with people who had any difficulties in a seperate room to make it easier.

Then to top it off the hotel I was placed it was eventually one that was accessible because even after stating that the accommadation had to be accessible; the first hotel wasn't.  And the second hotel werent much better.  Now this may all seem very tedious but seriously it was really bad!  So all in all it was bad and I cant think of a positive thing to say about it.

 Although the bloke in the lift was very nice to talk too, he was very plesant.  So all in all if I was asked to do something like that again well I'll let you guess my answer......  What did I get from it?I got a book which basically tells you history of No.10 and where I reckon Mr Blair got some of his speech from.  All in all I couldnt wait to get home!

This doesn't read very good does it?

Posted by Moira ( 7:33 PM )
Link to this post Comments[9]