Everybody out!

There's a full meeting of Leicester Council of Faiths at 1930 this evening in the Welcome Centre. This is a meeting that all members of the Council of Faiths are entitled to attend and to which they are all invited: that's about 40 potential attendees.

I usually prepare and present a written report of my activities since the last full meeting, about which the members are allowed to ask questions. I pick out highlights of those activities and speak about them, as well as giving special emphasis to anything coming up in the immediate future in which members can get involved or for which I'd like their assistance.

The main agenda item that I'll be speaking to this evening meeting is our upcoming 25th anniversary. I want to do justice to the amount of work Rahat has been doing on this, and jildy along members of the sub group that's been appointed to attend to this important matter.

I want to do a nice job speaking on this topic, so decide that it would be nice to illustrate it. Leicester City Council has offered to get behind the anniversary and support it in any way it can - short of giving us any money. There are a number of ways in which we hope the City Council can make good on that promise. For example, we could be the subject of a feature in leicesterlink, the civic magazine that it has been publishing and distributing free of charge to every home in the city for over 25 years. It is currently also available as a downloadable PDF and as an electronic file that can be read aloud by appropriate software. City Council also has a number of Adshells around the city, announcing activities and events in the city for each month. I decide it would be a good idea to go out and take photos of some of these Adshells to show at this evening's meeting. I go out just after 1515  to take some snaps. For one reason or another, I get waylaid around town and get back to the Welcome Centre after Rahat has left for the day at 1630. It's not until I get to the door that I realise that my keys are locked inside. I'm locked outside.

Ajay told me earlier that he'll be back after 1800 to set out the Welcome Centre for the meeting. That seems a long time away. It's not only my keys that are locked inside, but my money, my cash card, my iPod, my insulin - everything except my iPhone. So much for preparation!

While waiting around in Bishop Street, I'm thankful of the accidental company of Kirti Joshi (whom I taught on a course at the Writing School in Leicester Adult Education College) then Bez Kileen (Youth Worker with Leicester City Council, whom I used to work alongside when I was employed by ReMit at the Watershed Youth Centre). Both of them take pity on me and stop for lengthy chats. And I get the chance to show off our new big poster, which is nice.

Come 1830, I've never been so pleased to see Ajay. At least it wasn't raining!