The spirit of adventure

Mud play and camp building. What more do you need?

















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some time lapse fun

A Student's video

One of the students from Canterbury made this video for her university project about about the Big Society featuring us.

scooter tales

Social Capitalism explained wonderfully

The Capital Revolution? from Kevin Burgess on Vimeo.

Daring to dream

Nearly 19 months ago an earthquake hit Haiti and changed a nation already crippled with poverty. The poorest country in the western hemisphere. Not only crippled in poverty but also disabled infrastructure. I was told that Haiti after the earthquake is one big laboratory. "Tomorrow's case study for how not to do things". These words haunted me. Such cynicism. Such despair based in wisdom that has seen these things happen yet another time.

The language of hope has different narrative. It is one of building, rebuilding and then more building. It's the continual effort to press forward in the face of challenge and problems. And if done well it shall be with grace, good composure and optimism.

I'm in a meeting with those with such composure. The hope is to train, prepare athletes. Not just any athletes. But those who have had their lives irrevocably changed by the earthquake 19 months ago. One lost all 8 of his immediate family. The use of his legs. His ability to walk has gone. But his hope to be able has not. The meeting is about a dream. A dream to send Haiti's first team of athletes to the London 2012 Paralympics.

The challenge and hurdles immense. No money. Hardly any time to train. Little or no equipment. No sponsors. No hosting.

In the sheer face of this we are all disabled by the lack of our immediate resources to do this. It is only a dream.

But what a dream to have... What we cannot do ourselves we can do together with others.

Here's a pic of this team seeking to help this dream come real.





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Location:Concord Rd,Ealing,United Kingdom

growing up

it's hard to standby sometimes and just watch.

often its only afterwards that you can look back... and if you're anything like me you kick yourself and say "if only i did that" or "i wish i could have done more".

this is one of those times where i just have to watch.

i kind of wrote about something similar here. its the watching the play of your children and realising that they are going through a hardship. an exclusion. a loneliness. hearing the words of those who are close to them say they don't like him. watch their friends "move on".

"its bound to happen"

"that's life"

"its an important life lesson"

its hard to stand by and just do nothing, trusting that the passing of time will be able to teach, to help grow and cultivate that precious character.

its not that i don't love any less my children by not jumping in. its not that i love them more by reminding them of the long term character building. no... and frankly all i can do is suffer with them as only a father can.

its not easy to stand and watch your children go through such exclusion.

Let's plan Warsaw

One of the simulation games that is being played here at this conference is one involving the place of stay here in Warsaw. It involves the soviet "gift" of a building from Stalin and planning what could be done with it. All the Polish people say it's an eye sore and stands for a reminder of Russian occupancy.

Here it is:




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Location:Jachranka,Poland

very cool

Home for a week

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Location:Jachranka,Poland

In Poland

I'm in my hotel in southern Warsaw. Very south and almost not Warsaw.

My reason for being here is two to be at a conference on the science and craft of gaming, especially as we are embracing this for our work and also to run a slum based simulation to this association. Looking at the programme it has all sorts of crazy and amazing simulations.

I must admit this is looking to be quite a cool conference... Even my colleague said "it looks like the people here actually want to be here compared to many of the other conferences that we have been to."

... More to come...


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Location:Warsaw

founder's wisdom

i'm fascinated by founding stories of organisations.

i find the early stages and early decisions utterly mesmerising.

when hearing from one very large charity a gentleman shared about their founder and what gave him his energy, zeal and fervour. For Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, he jotted down in his bible these words: "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God."

Mucking around on another app

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Sitting in the Pitt Room

Currently sitting in the Palace of Westminster listening to the effectiveness of aid.

I find myself wondering about this room. The Pitt room. He was a young leader and debated hard in his day. He was friends, I think, with one of my all time heroes William Wilberforce.

What rich history this room has. A privilege to be here.



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Location:Dean's Yard,London,United Kingdom

a weekend in snaps pt 2

a weekend in snaps pt 1

A thousand words and a photo

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Location:Sevenoaks,United Kingdom

Mr Mojo Rising

Some half term pics

From Brighton to Elveden to Bedgebury this past half term. :)

lost sheep

i said, whilst wheeling a heavy pram ladened with towels and wet swimming gear, that you run that way and caleb and i will catch you up. joshie darted round the corner. angie and caleb must have been shouting from the other direction as i turned round. they weren't there. must have been ahead. i rubbed my chlorine touched eyes.

angie called is joshie with you. i looked down his path he took. he wasn't there. i shouted no and asked whether he was with her. she said no. dang where could he be. i looked down his path. he wasn't there. looked around and then searched. no sign.

still went ahead to where angie was to check. not there. the heart starts to race a little. moving up to defcon 4.

i walk back to the swimming pool area. no sign. i curse a little just thinking that he wouldn't go backwards.

i re-trace his steps and check the staff only door. still no sign. go back to the RV where angie was. she still hasn't seen him. it's been a few minutes now. def con 2. heart racing. options of where to look exhausted.

def con 1

i run back to the swimming pool shouting his name.

the next place to look back in a square that we first stepped foot in several days ago. clutching for options and recollecting the chapter of "the shack" about the great sadness that only just read that morning.

i run to and fro. no real direction. just running.

back to angie and she says its ok. she found him. he'd kept running on ahead.

just one feeling: elation. i gave him a huge hug and i mentioned that we were worried, but happy to find him. he says: "just like the lost sheep story papa"