I am lucky enough to be involved with running a youth group.
To give its proper title its actually a Young Residence Association.
This is based in Bodmin up on the Treningle View and Kinsman estate area.
The kids there are fantastic. Like all kids they have so much energy and we help them put it to good use.
A few months ago they came to us to ask about organising a Pirate Fun Day and we thought it would be a brilliant way to start off the summer holidays from school.
Now, we do help them a lot but this was going to be their day so we spent the last month or so working with them to plan it, undertake the risk assessments, contact the people who they wanted to invite, arrange for the activities and just about everything else and they done fantastic.
We managed to get 27 children and 12 adults to come along and join in. We had cake ! We had pets we had pirates and most of all we had fun.

The only down side to the day was the weather. This we had no control over but managed to still work everything out from the Hub.
We still even managed to walk the plank! Fancy dress was optional and many that came made a great effort. The Housing association and Children`s Center came along and even a surprise visit from the Pets at Home Team who brought in some cute little cuddly critters.
The end of the day was rounded off with a water slide. This was the wet one, the slipperiest, sloppiest slide and  what the day was all about. Fun Fun Fun !

What a start to the week !
It all started with a panic phone call from Italy asking for help..
They had been let down with an Erasmus Partner from the UK and could we help? They needed 5 participants - 4 youths and a youth leader to come to Bassano Romano to spend a week with 70 other like minded souls from across Europe.
The project was funded by Erasmus which would cover most costs associated with the travel and the Oganiser would cover the hotel and all food.
How could i say no ?? A week in Italy in August? Erasmus youth groups, fine Italian food ??? They had me so now I had to just find 4 youths under 25 to come along..
I took the best route I knew and I took to Facebook and my network there to help out.
Posts went up, they got shared, i had phone calls, flights got checked, more phone calls, emails on projects sent, sorry cant do dates, sorry its festival weekend and more facebook interest. Lucky for me I have quite a solid network on Facebook and after a few short hours I had my first 2 signed up. They had recently come back from a trip in Thailand to wind down after Uni exam stress and were looking for their next project. This was perfect for them and a great intro for Erasmus projects. The fact that we go to the same University and from the same town here in the UK helped and they felt the security of the project.
So I 2 down and 2 to go. I had quite a few offers from youth trainers and youth workers but sadly I had to decline these as this project is all about the youth.
I plugged away and finally an old school friend started with a few small enquiries whilst sitting through a slow work meeting (him not me ). This soon led to emails, talks on the phone about meeting up in Rome and soon enough there was conformation that his son and fiend would be taking part! Bingo !! I had the 4 that was needed and quickly mailed everyone to buy the tickets before they run out. Mailed the Italian partners to confirm and I`m sure i could hear the shouts of joy from down the line.
And now ...
Now I sit here reflecting back on the day so far.. From starting off thinking about all the post I had to send off that day, looking at the list of `To Do` and how it changed so fast for the better and a surprise trip to Italy booked for next week.
Now I am just faced with the simple task of just re arranging my life and work back here while I will be away in 33 degree sunshine feasting on Italy's finest.
Its a hard life but someone has got to do it and made easier by surrounding yourself with a great network.