Finding my feet: Six weeks back at work after maternity leave
Six weeks into my return to work from Maternity Leave and its no surprise that the past month and a half has been a whirlwind - but in the most rewarding way.
Anyone who has gone through the rollercoaster of having a baby knows the crazy juggle of balancing being sentient/functional/awake (?) at work with rushing home for bedtime. This alongside wondering how on earth you're going to get up for a 9am meeting when you're still awake at 3am trying to persuade your 1-year-old to go to sleep. Parenthood uncovers previously hidden stores of resilience and resourcefulness, that are strangely transferable to working in the charity sector.
I feel grateful for the brilliant support of my team and our board of trustees, and have greatly enjoyed reconnecting with colleagues and Olympias families since I've been back. As ever, there is lots to do and think about as we prepare for the new academic year. It's also an exciting time, with lots to plan for and look forward to. Highlights from my 6 weeks back to work include:
The Olympias end-of-year Summer Concert at Longsight Library
Catching up in-person with our board of trustees; funders; and brilliant supporters
Our first Small Group Personal Training session with trustees and core team at FORM
Organising our first ever Olympias Team Away Day at Broaden Studios in September
Finalising our programme of musical activities for 2026-27
Recruiting for new Guitar and Theory teachers, and appointing a new Programmes Administrator and Development Assistant (more on this soon...)
In the words of Steve Jobs, "The only way to do great work is to love what you do."
I feel immensely fortunate to be surrounded by passionate and talented people, and a community of inspiring children and parents who constantly motivate us to strive for more.
2026-27 looks to be another brilliant year, and I can't wait to see what the Olympias team and our amazing young people can achieve together. We really do love what we do.
And on that note... Back to work!
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