The podcast from my Friday show every week on Radio CRMK is played as part of Saturday's LUNCH OF LOVE at The Buzzy (Unity Park Bus Station Central Milton Keynes). Before I tell you a bit about Dreamsai let me play that 1977 hit from
Raffaella carrà.
I am not a religious person but I do believe that Destiny had a plan to not only take me into Dreamsai but others with me. As you read this page it may well be that Destiny has YOU in her thinking.
There I was in University Hospital Milton Keynes as
part of a ward review team. Also on that review team was a former work colleague, Mondira. We had not seen one another for more than twenty years but immediately our friendship was renewed. Mondira is a member of Worktree which goes into schools helping teenagers make life and career choices. Mondira is the Indian
lady standing by the banner. Next thing I knew I was part of Worktree.
It was at a Worktree session in the YMCA MK that someone said I know someone I think you need to meet.
I was in the process of starting a project which I was calling Melting Pot to reach out into the non-white communities promoting blood and organ donations. Did you know that if you are not a boring middle of the road white person like what I am if you need an organ transplant your chances are around 2%.
Let's have some more music, let's have Melting Pot by Blue Mink.
That song was in the Top Ten when I began my life as a student teacher. I loved it then and love it now, I have so many times played it on the radio.
I also had an idea for a project which I wanted to call The Walk of Love. Perhaps three or four times a year a small team would walk around Milton Keynes handing out gifts to our homeless rough-sleeping friends. Realistically I knew this was never going to happen. Just another dream from The Silly Old Man which would never become a reality.
So I met this person. Laxman is his name, here he is with the Dreamsai banner. Immediately Laxman and I became fiends. If you spoke with him today he would tell you we are not friends - WE ARE FAMILY.
Dreamsai already runs blood donor camps, our next is at Christ The Cornerstone on Wednesday 29th January 5pm to 7pm. That's great, I did not need to do anything to make it happen BUT two things.
Dreamsai was looking to take the next step to
encourage members of the Indian Community to become organ donors. Destiny had made me the right man in the right place at the right time to help with this.
MORE...... Mondira arranged for me to meet with the
local Imam to talk about organ and blood donation. We got on so well. Once a fatwa is published in the New Year our Islamic community will become part of Melting Pot. As our conversation was drawing to a close I said: Perhaps you could start with a pop up donor session as the Hindu Community does. The Imam's reply: Do you think the Hindus would help us ? The Hindu community helping the Moslem community. Well done Destiny.
My idea for The Walk of Love - my idea that was never going to happen - Dreamsai was already doing just that. No need to reinvent the wheel, Silly Old
Man just get involved.
November 5th saw Laxman and other members of Dreamsai join me on the radio.
So what's this Walk of Love all about ?
I'll tell you but Destiny has not finished yet. Has she got her eye on you ?
Saturday morning two families within Dreamsai cook meals. There is so much love in the cooking if you want to volunteer the first vacancy is in June 2020 !
Meals are then brought to The Buzzy, Unity Park Bus Station, where guests can drop in for a meal and friendship between 12.30pm and 1.30pm. NOTE the speakers playing my podcast.
Some of the guests are homeless, some are down on their luck, some are lonely and need a bit of
company and someone to talk to you. It does not matter if you have 1p or an American Express Gold Card in your pocket the welcome is the same.
While the Lunch of Love is being served other members of our Dreamsai Family are out on the Walk of Love delivering bags of food and love to rough-sleeping friends all over Milton Keynes.
I was walking back to my car at then end of our
Lunch of Love one Saturday when Laxman called me saying someone had come in looking to chat. We talked for more than two hours, we became friends, Mariusz joined The Sunshine Smile Crew and is now part of The Dreamsai Family. Mariusz you really make me laugh and smile mate. Everybody, just look at what he did to his phone the other week.
Mariusz is a chef by profession, I tease him saying he is Dreamasi's Head Cook and Bottle Washer.
Destiny brought Sunshine Smile Crew member Julie into The Dreamsai Family. As Queen Of The Kettle Julie serves guests with tea and coffee. She always asks if the guest wants milk and sugar. She never asks how many spoons of love the guest wants - she heaps that in to fill every cup.
Julie Queen Of The Kettle, Mariusz Head Cook And Bottle Washer. I always introduce every radio show saying I am The Silly Old Man, The Geriatric DJ. The Geriatric DJ bit has been dropped, within The Dreamsai Family I am just The Silly Old Man !
Let's have a bit more music. Hey I have never played this on the radio before..............
Something we have introduced to The Lunch of Love is our Freebie Box.
Anyone can take anything they want. This addition to The Lunch of Love was started by CRMK Presenter and The Sunshine Smile Crew's King Of The Smiles
Stewart.
Here's some love which will be added to the box for this Saturday.
So Madam Destiny let's trace the steps you mapped out for us.
1. I go into the hospital to undertake a ward review.
2. I meet Mondira who I have not seen for 20 years and we renew our friendship.
3. Mondira makes me a part of Worktee.
4. At Worktee in YMCA MK someone says she thinks she knows someone I need to meet.
5. Laxman and I meet.
6. I go along to Dreamsai one Saturday just to find out what is happening.
7. Destiny decided a one off visit is not in her plan. I join the Dreamsai Family.
8. Mariusz wanders in as a guest. We become friends. Mariusz becomes part of Dreamsai.
At Tuesday evenings council meeting I was adopted onto The Planning and Environment Committee, The Community Committee and excitingly The Parking Sub-Committee ! A fellow Councillor turned to me
and said: You must have a lot of time on your hands !
Hardly ! Five radio shows a week. Worktree spending time every week in a school. As a Councillor I always visit my local Food Bank outlet each week. I take my ward duties very seriously. Then there are all The Sunshine Smile Crew projects which I co-ordinate among our 59 members.
This picture was taken in October, the very first time
I went along to Dreamsai. I thought it was to be a one off visit but Madam Destiny you had other ideas. I can honestly say that Dreamasi's Lunch and Walk of Love are the highlight of my week.
I am sure that Madam Destiny has not finished yet. Allow me to give her a bit of a nudge.
*I want to have a table each Saturday where guests can pick up items of clothing. Please do not inundate me with sacks of stuff - I am looking for jackets/coats, hats, gloves, scarfs, jogging bottoms and trainers. PLEASE - I would like to get this starting as soon as possible.
* I am looking for simple bits and pieces to put into the Freebie Box.
* We always put out our SMILE cards - another invention from King Of The Smiles Stewart Bailey. We have these, smile stickers and other bits of fun for people to pick up. It would be better if we have people engaging with he guests, talking to them and asking friends to take them away with them.
Come along one week and give Dreamsai a try. But be warned, I tried that and now I am a part of the family, proud to be a part of the family, it is at the centre of my week.
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