As a team we have been reflecting recently as we are about to turn 5 years old on the 6th October. To think we are 5 years old is such a surreal feeling for me probably more than anybody. I remember when I came up with the original idea of Boredom Buster Bags seven years ago but life was hectic with uni and I thought I was to young at the time to manage and do something like that. Then when I was stuck in the hospital after surgery in 2012 I decided uni was over and I would take the leap of faith and do it.
I can still remember my parents reaction when I told them what I was intending on doing, there was definitely a mixture of surprise, fear and terror on their faces but you could also see they wanted to be supportive. I have to say my parents have always been supportive of anything I wanted to do especially when I was a child but this was not "Charlie wants to ride a horse" this was 'Charlie wants to run a company.' I was twenty one and at the time I thought I knew what I was doing but oh my days was I wrong. Muffin's did not just grow steadily as I had intended it to it exploded and the demand for it was much higher than anyone could ever anticipated. Within six months of us starting to send out the Boredom Buster Bags we had decided to start adapting activities, running tea parties and the end goal of Muffin's House was already starting to form. Within the year we had raised £5,000 and became a registered charity. Sometimes it all feels like a lifetime ago and sometimes it feels like it was yesterday. One thing I knew though was Muffin's no matter how tough things might get I loved it.
People often ask me 'do you enjoy your job' such a simple question but the answer is far from straight forward. I guess I think about it from two very different view points. Firstly I love my job, it is the best thing in the world to do and it hardly ever feels like I am actually working. But then I wish my job did not have to exist. Some people look at me like I am crazy when I say this but let me explain. I wish social services could do more, I wish the NHS had more money to help the children and families we work with. I wish we could live in a world where no illness or disability existed. I wish everyday the children we work with did not have to die. Sadly none of this will ever be the case and there's very little point in denying it. So Muffin's and other organisation have to exist to pick up where the other services leave. So my answer to the question is yes I really do love my job but I won't pretend that there are times when it gets tough. There are times when you cry, there are times of anger but most of all there are times of laughter, fun and happiness. And it's these times that keep you going when times are hard.
It's very strange to think that we have adapted so many activities over the years, gymnastics, ice skating, bike riding, rock climbing, doughnuting and the list goes on. People honestly do think we are mad when we tell them what we do and that we take children with complex needs to do all these physical activities. In reality it's not hard to actually do. And no we are not mad some would say we were stupid and off our rockers, we say we have faith in our Muffin's abilities. Although I won't deny there are not times when we wonder whether or not we have taken on to much but our attitude of 'it will be fine' always works out well in the end. Yes the physical effort once your doing the activity is hard going but to work out how to adapt things, it just takes a little out of the box thinking. Some of my fondest most heart warming memories over the past few years has been watching our Muffin's do things not even their parents would think was possible. Some of the funnest generally involve us getting messy in particular one of volunteers who had not worked with our Muffin' before was a little to slow and didn't get out of the way quick enough when one of the children launched shaving foam and paint towards him. He was covered head to toe in orange foam as-well as the walls and floor. Although I will admit clearing up wasn't quite as fun as watching that happen. None of the services that Muffin's has offered over the past 5 years is rocket science. Muffin's does not fit nice and neatly into a box and we never intend to. We will keep testing and crashing down the barriers that surround our wonderful Muffin's.
Muffin's has taught me so much in such a short space of time. I have always been thankful for what I have but Muffin's has made me even more aware just how precious life is and what a privilege it is to grow older. Some people hate the idea of getting old but I don't. Ok so I don't want the wrinkles but who does? But life is a gift and as you get older, you are given more life experiences. I think about our Muffin's who have passed to early who will never grow up, never get married and never see more of life and the wonderful experiences it brings us. Life is a privilege and it is denied to so many so early treasure it and never take it for granted.
Five years has nearly passed and it's been a crazy journey with low points and amazing highs and I would not change it for the world. The team who work at Muffin's dedicate so much time and poor so much passion into the organisation. They are what makes Muffin's and without them you would not have the incredible services that we are able to offer. I had the idea but they are what makes that idea a reality each and every single day and I could not be prouder to have such a wonderful team.
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