Life in Buxton

I have officially been living in Buxton for 6 weeks and it has been an exciting time of learning, meeting new people and opportunity. A time that has mainly consisted of running the Stores for the Overseas Training Expeditions at the Leadership and Development Centre in Buxton, it has also taken me to Pitlochry, Scotland twice with benefits of once the work is done your time is spent on personal development. So naturally I have been out climbing and pushing my grade to prepare for my SPA assessment.

It has been an exciting time, seeing and meeting Challengers due to depart for far-flung countries all over the globe next summer and unfortunately brings back the want to travel again. Only being back from Bolivia less than 3 months I'm already eeking to get away again, but where to....

On a safe arrival back to the centre 2 weeks ago from Scotland, I had had an eventful weekend in Pitlochry where beautiful weather graced our company and a school from Glasgow had their training for their trip to Malawi next June. It was at the same time that my leading aspirations were being contemplated by the techinal and HR team back in England. They wanted me to lead this coming summer and no better placement than with a team that requested me! Yes, this team from Glasgow were very happy with me and wanted me to be their leader.

Now to be honest if this had happened a couple of weeks before I think I would have cacked myself and said no, but after being questioned about what I wanted to do next summer I put some serious thought into it, talked to many leaders that I had recently worked with and then came to the conclusion that I was ready for the plunge. With the right group, the right destination and the right itinerary plus plenty of research and preparation I would be ready!

Even so, on getting back to Buxton, I had to wait for over 2 weeks, even with my training instructor Chris making phone calls and arrangements of Potential Leader paperwork to go in, until I finally got the all clear that it was going to be my expedition. With a mixture of nerves and excitement I now write my news and plan for the start of research and preparation.

So 324 days until action (the World Challenge members site tells me) :-)

Amongst the excitement, we have the return of Jo to the centre, one of the trainee instructors that live in the little attic flat of Oaklands Manor, Buxton. The other being Aaron, who has recently moved in this week. We are now the new instructors of the Manor and are ready for the onslaught on the training expeditions that run regularly amongst other such courses. Jo has been in Morocco on a development training week, the lucky thing. Looking forward to hearing all the stories and look through the photos! And then we have 4 days off until the next course after having back to backs running throughout October due to halfterms across the country. It will be nice for some quiet time and more time to get out climbing working towards my assessment which is penciled in for April time.

And with that, I return to looking out over the Peak District, waiting for the return of the groups tomorrow :-)