Sweet dreams

Well, it's time to put the Luton Dream blog to bed at least for a short while, as we take stock and think about the success of our experiment.

Heaven definitely touched earth across the town as people considered their role in making Luton the town it is...talents were displayed, thoughts were shared, fun was had and in various places it seemed that dreams had a greater chance of coming true.

As ever God moved in unexpected ways but we're so grateful that he did.

We're keen to catch the dream again next May...so watch this space...send us any ideas or feedback and thanks for being a part of it.


Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when
With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst
For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life,
We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
We have allowed our vision
Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly,
To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.

attributed to Sir Francis Drake -1577

Halyard happenings...

At last here are pictures of Ruth Stacey's fab mural in Halyard school garden...I think it's fair to say she had great fun doing it even if the initial idea and timescale were a bit daunting but thanks to some generous paint donationsfrom Dulux it came into being. And the school are really pleased with the results.

It gives the already well loved garden an added dimension, helping to engage the mind, spirit and ...green fingers!



And evidence of the fantastic year 7 dodgeball tournament...everyone enjoyed it so much (staff and pupils alike) that thanks to Luton Dream it's now threatening to become an annual event!

Beat Bullying!

Here's some fantastic work by a young man who is doing his bit to improve life in Luton. His poem 'It's ok to walk away' tackles some of the issues around bullying from one who knows. It just shows how willing young people are to tackle the stuff that's happening in their life if only you give them a chance...

It's ok to walk away,
so stand up for yourself
and start today!
Why do people
stop and stare
and watch the victims
have 2 bare
all their anger and tears
building up.
And people that watch
are scared and just say "wassup?"
So help victims
and say no,
because if you don't
THE LORD WILL KNOW!!

by Emmitt, aged 12

Half way already...

Wow, we're half way through LTLD week and I haven't even managed to blog it's been so hectic and awesome. Year 7 at South Luton got the message on tuesday and after our presentation were churning out brilliant ideas left right and centre. Year Head, Miss Blackmore is really committted to seeing each tutor group do a project so the ripples in this particular pond could be huge!

There were rehearsals at Ashcroft on tuesday too for thursday's concert ... pupils from across the school are singing, dancing, telling jokes and reading poems in a spirit of celebration.

Today I heard a football tournament has been organised but I have to track info down on that and a group from Miss Liao's class are planning a litter-pick with a poster campaign AND assembly piece to get people to think twice about what they do with their rubbish.

We're praying for a dry day tomorrow as Ruth is due to paint her 'hope' mural at Halyard, having submitted designs to pupils' scrutiny and come up with one that ticked everyone's boxes!

Plus there's all the individual actions going on across town, and more besides. The focus is for this week but the thought is forever...we reap what we sow.

So get planting!

Living the dream LOUD...

So thebandwithnoname are in town on Sunday and for a mere £5 standing (£7 seated) you can jump around with the best of them to their breed of sanctified hip-hop and rap.

The venue Luton Christian Fellowship on Castle Street, just up from Matalan and it's doors open at 6pm... call 01582 619990 for more details.

We're really glad LCF have managed to get the guys for a gig as finding a slot in their hectic schedule seems to be nigh on impossible! Saturday night see's them play the Royal Albert Hall in London ... and St Petersberg, Belfast, Brighton and Livingstone are just some of the places they've been gigging recently so this is another 'nice one' for Luton!!

Hope to see you there!

Still wondering what to do?

Here are the ideas again...you don't even have to check the archive, how easy is that?! So come on we've done our bit, will you do yours? There's just 4 days left to decide how you'll be living the dream next week. Go for it!

MAKE YOUR OFFICE OR SCHOOL A HAPPIER PLACE...

Smile at others!
Open doors for people.
Compliment 3 people a day.
Thank a teacher for a good lesson/colleague for their help.
Do something kind for someone, which they wouldn't expect.
Buy flowers for someone.
Talk to someone you've never spoken to before.


HOME SWEET HOME!

Have a party for no reason!
Arrange a family outing.
Eat a meal or play a game together.
Find out one thing you didn't already know about a member of your family.
Make your mum/partner a cup of tea.
Hang a welcome sign on your front door!
Give any visitors a party bag to take home.


MAKE YOUR SCHOOL A PLACE TO BE PROUD OF ...

Get involved in a school club / team / things that are already happening.
Look really smart all week!
Be nice to your local shop-keeper, chip-shop owner etc.
Organise a competition / project / fund-raiser e.g. school idol, sponsored silence, photographic project.
Make a poster advertising how the school could be a better place.
Do a presentation in assembly or a poster. advertising what will be happening that week.

MAKE THE TOWN OR YOUR OFFICE/SCHOOL A GREENER PLACE ...

Recycle mobile phones (pick up bags from Body Shop)
Turn off tap whilst cleaning teeth.
Have less baths and more showers!
Turn any lights off you are not using.
Don't overfill the kettle.
Use both sides of paper / re-use scrap.
Re-use plastic bags.
Start campaign at school/work to recycle.
Recycle at home.
Walk to school/work, instead of getting a lift.

THIS WAY FOR A HEALTHIER HAPPIER LUTON...

Find out facts about the effects of alcohol / drugs / smoking.
Find out what you can do to limit the danger to your health from these things.
Have an apple a day.
Find a new sport / form of exercise, which you've never tried before and is fun. E.g water aerobics, parkour.
Take the dog for a walk.

BRIGHTEN UP YOUR STREET ...

Plant some flowers in your front garden - try and grow some from seed!
Do a litter pick on your estate.
Vow never to drop litter again.

The mentors were proudly showing off this artistic endeavour at Aschroft today, a stunning 'beat bullying quilt' produced by the Peer Mentors. These guys do such great work and really make a difference to life in the school, a big Luton Dream thumbs up to them.

It's been a great week for projects in the school too an outdoor concert is being planned by several members of Mr Bailey's tutor group - with loads of pupils taking part as acts. Miss Liao's group are trying to decide whether to get sporty or litter pick in their local park, Mr Manyuki's form wrote 'wishful thinking letters' (they're not sending them!) to the council about all the things they'd like to see change in the town...with noisy neighbours and litter coming top. Miss Hickman's group are continuing their poems and planning a tutor project which is still under wraps!

All this and the weeks not even here yet!!

The Toad To A Perfect England

Miss Hickman's tutor group at Ashcroft have been getting into the Luton Dream and writing poems about their perfect town. Here's one from Tom in year 8, with a little help from Mentor, Dean.

Luton is a good place to live
but I only wish...
That we could travel aound town
without having to spend a pound.

I only wish ...
That no one needs to sleep on streets
and that they would be given free
shreaded wheat.
It would be nice to have fewer cars
on the roads,
So there is more space for all the toads!

I only wish...
that school's were bigger, better and fun,
so we can get all our work done
It would be nice to have a new park,
so you and your mates have somewhere to
have a laugh.

I only wish...
that there are more places to play sport,
including a brand new football court.
Everyone could live in peace,
there would be no need for the police.

The perfect place to live...LUTON.

This is how I'll be living it...

I am pledging to take time out to write to 5 people from my past who made a difference to my life! My old sunday school teacher, school friends who I haven't talked to for ages, a friend I used to share an allotment with, they all inspired me and supported me.

I wonder what they're up to now and whether they realise the part they played in making me who I am today?!

Also I'm waiting till summer's here then I'm going to organise a 'street meet' so I can get to know all my neighbours and they can get to know each other too.

Lillie, Schools Worker

I'll be living it too!

I am planning on doing some litter-picking on Marsh Farm next week with my house mate Sarah ... but I have yet to tell her! Perhaps she'll read it here and stock up on bin-bags!? I have real issues with litter so it should feel good to clear some of the estate up.

Rachel

Thought...

"We are invited to rejoice in every moment of life
because every moment of life is a gift"

John Ortberg

I'm living the dream.

Appliances on standby use between 75and 90% of the electricity they use when switched on! I couldn't quite believe it when I heard that. I must waste so much, over such huge periods of time, it's time that some things changed.

So, my aim, starting on Luton Dream week, I shall be turning off my appliances when I'm not using them. That means the TV, Sky box, 2 DVD players, PS2, ipod speakers, will be switched off properly. If I consistently turn off these 6 items that live on standby in my house, think of the noxious fumes that won't be generated and the electricity I will save, let alone the money. If everyone in the whole school did this, just think how much we could save.

Ruth

Mmm, a nice cup of tea...

I recently read something on email and it made me stop and think. To do my bit to Live the Luton Dream I'm going to make time for those sponateous stop-gaps with people I meet. Starting today when I see a neighbour I am going to stop for a minute or two (so if I am late for anything!!!!!) it is all in a good cause.

Here is what I read:

A professor stood before his philosophy class and when the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then poured a box of pebbles into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and they rolled into the spaces between the balls. He then asked if the jar was now full. The students agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of tea from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar - filling the empty space between the sand.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "This jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -your family, your children, your health, your friends - and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

"Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the tea represented? The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of tea with a friend."

Wendy

Social Inclusion Worker