The Focaliser Conference 2010.

…I have to stop in a layby on the A84, at just gone 1am, somewhere near Kingshouse.  The moon is pretty much full, and is shining off the snow so brightly that I don’t need headlights.  Of course I do use them up to the point where I pull over.  I prepare my bed and get 5 hours sleep.

I’m up at 6.21am, Saturday morning.  The moon is still up, just about, and it’s a beautiful crispy clear morning.  It’s also cold.  I struggle to get out of the sleeping bag.  But I do, and get some clothes on and start driving.  By the time I get to Loch Lochy I have to stop for 20 minutes kip.  I’m then on my way again, and I make it to Dundreggan by 10am.

So, I walk into the conference in the middle of Alan’s introduction.  Alan says hello and, amazingly, there is an empty seat, which I take, as Alan talks us through some of the fantastically positive stories from TFL history.  TFL stands for Trees for Life, and Focaliser is the term TFL use to describe the two people who lead each volunteer work week.

The conference is an amazing experience.  The people, the location, the well chaired debates, the snow falling behind people’s heads as they talk, and the way we manage to keep ourselves entertained in the evenings – it’s a brilliant weekend.  With some great snow ball fights.