North Trafford School Sport Partnership - happy times, good friends

I have three good friends - Belinda Cashin, Julie Miskelly and Kay Statham.  We worked together in Trafford when I was a School Sport Partnership Manager.  We were based at Flixton Girls' High School.  Belinda was school sport coordinator - she taught in the school for three days a week, and worked for the Partnership for two days a week.  Julie Miskelly was the administrator for the Partnership, and worked part time for exams in school.  Kay was employed by the Partnership to help local people gain employment through sport.  There were school sport coordinators in six other secondary schools, and other employees of the Partnership, as the programme grew and developed.  I loved my job. I made good friends with Hannah Goddard from a parallel partnership in Trafford. 
My role was to increase participation in PE and School Sport in school and out of school hours.  We all made and reviewed our own targets - this was central to our way forwards.
We were employed by Jennifer Hart, head teacher of Flixton Girls' High School.  School staff like Julie Day and Rick Salt were incredible support to us.  Rick Salt remains a funny story, in that, I got him mixed up with Rick Astley (Big 80s singer - I'm gonna pick you up, I'm gonna put you down, I'm gonna ...).  I put his name in minutes as Rick Astley, and how we laughed about that.  With our help the school achieved Sports College Status.  Katy is a 9 month old baby when I start working at the school.  In my early days, I got all my breast feeding wrong and ended up with mastitis, and had to take two weeks off school very very sick.
When the head teacher changed the values of the school changed, and it became clear that it would be best for me to move on.  I applied to be Director of Sport, received an interview, but was not successful because I was not a qualified teacher.  I make the decision to retrain, so that I can apply for jobs at this level.  I leave to train as a teacher of maths, because I have a degree in maths.  There is lots of additional support for me because I am training to teach a subject in demand.

Belinda, Julie, Kay and myself have continued to meet up as friends.  We love the curry house in Sale, which is very close to Julie's house.  The chef created fish based meals.  The food was always exciting, freshly cut and delicious to eat. 

Hey girls - I can't wait until we can meet up again. 

Belinda has today sent me a voucher to spend in M & S.  It came with a note saying, "I bet you have loads of flowers".  How I laughed.  Yes I have loads of flowers (and I love them), and it was funny.  When I am well I will take the voucher to M & S and really enjoy spending it.  Thanks Belinda.  I love you.  I love you son too.  He is a beauty.

Sarah xxxx