I don’t think so, especially not in the children’s activities sector. We’ve all heard and probably used “collaboration over competition” but do we practise what we preach?
During the various lockdowns and restrictions trying to navigate procedures and guidance was somewhat complicated, each activity discipline, venue type and age group carried its own advice, so providers felt confused and conflicted on how best to keep children safe. However, we came together as a sector via the children’s activities association and tried to figure this helpless feeling out TOGETHER. We collaborated with “competitors” we supported each other with varied understandings of guidance and checked in on each other regularly.
I also saw this in the franchising world with the franchise mastermind group, led by the brilliant Sean Goldsmith. This attitude of working together benefitted us all, we didn’t feel alone, which as franchisors we can most definitely do a lot. We could also acknowledge we didn’t have to have all the answers and could allow ourselves to talk openly and honestly to get the support we needed. Strong friendships were formed, and business collaborations were built.
So why do I talk about this now? The incident of Monday 29th July in Southport hit the dance and children’s activities sector hard. We all put the safety of the children in our sessions as priority and as reported those running that session put their lives on the line for those attending. We were all shocked and couldn’t imagine what those involved went through and our hearts continue to go out to them.
We also felt helpless, it could’ve been any one of us and we knew we wanted to try and do something. That’s when Claire O Connor of babyballet reached out to me and suggested setting up a fundraiser. We decided to get our friends in the preschool dance sector together to try and help everyone affected in some way knowing many of our friends, colleagues, franchisees and fellow dancers were in Southport. So diddi dance, babyballet, Little Movers, Amanda’s Action Club, Tappy Toes and Lil Beatz came together and gofundme page was set up. We hoped it would raise maybe a few thousand to help those affected in a small way. This fund now stands at over £120k with support of amazingly generous donations including Anthony Gordon and Steven Gerrard!
Also, with being a board director of the children’s activities association, I helped organise a zoom for all activity providers to come together to support each other. I wanted to finish by sharing some mental health tips from the expert Jen Chapman-Boffin who is a mental health first aid trainer.
- Let yourself feel whatever you’re feeling, there is such thing as witnessed trauma so you just need to allow yourself time to process everything.
- Strive to stay in control of your thoughts, not the other way round.
- When times feel overwhelming, consider the things you can influence to regain a sense of control.
I’d like to finish with sending my condolences again to all those affected by the incident in Southport and if you are able to donate or even share the fundraiser so we can continue to help that would be amazing, thank you x
