The Weekend wind up
The week we raced the Covid Curfew. To be read while listening to Rick Astley sing Never Gonna Give You Up
On Tuesday our bags were packed, our itinerary was planned, and we were all set for an early start on Wednesday morning as The Network She Mothership went on a road trip. We were good to go. And then we got the call to say that due to restrictions in Manchester the Wednesday evening we had planned couldn’t take place. We were hoping to bring the Manchester based members of the Network She Academy together for a social so they could meet, get to know one another, build relationships and collaborate on future projects.
An hour or so later we then got the news that our own local counties were going into lockdown and we were under curfew to be back at 6pm on Thursday, as from then on, we weren’t going to be able to get in or get out.
All of a sudden it was all starting to feel rather difficult- did we bother, or should we just give up on the whole idea and unpack? But we didn’t want to give up and we definitely didn’t want to let anyone down, so off we went, with a whole new schedule on a wing and a prayer, with a very poor selection of in-flight snacks
First stop was Morecambe. I have been once before when I was around 15- it didn’t end well and is a story for another day- this time I was a grown up on a mission, not a cider fuelled teenager.
Along with my Network She colleague Nic we headed up North to meet another Ruth and another Nic at The Consult Centre, on the third floor opposite the Promenade, over-looking Morecambe Bay and the statue of Eric.
We arrived with the bones of a plan that we hoped would be the foundation for the Network She Diamond Members and members of The Mothership to build up on over the coming year. After three hours, lots of blue sky thinking- the only blue sky in Morecambe that day- a thought shower, a lot of brain storming and a flatulent French Bull Dog called Marley we descended the three flights of stairs with a completely different plan and a clear view of what the future holds- it is going to be awesome. If you are reading this and you haven’t joined The Mothership closed Facebook group can I suggest you do it now. You are missing out on a growing resource of support, help and solutions so freely given by a community of women who mean business.
From Morecambe we headed to the Centre of the Universe that is Urmston. If you have never heard of it, it is the market town on the other side of junction 9 on the M60 to the one you take for the Trafford Centre and is the place of my birth!
We had a socially distanced, sanitized meet up with Sarah Steinhofel of The Smart Bear in her third-floor office. What is it with you IT geeks and your dislike for ground floor facilities
It was a great meeting and added to our mission to ensure that Covid doesn’t mean that we have to give you up, let you down or desert you. There is nothing deserted about The Mothership, it has a growing crew and you need to get on board.
I can’t stop, I have to write a memo about the quality of in-flight snacks and look for a route for our next, post lock down road trip
Love & Shenanigans
Ruth
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