Ice skating is a thirsty business, and we were very grateful to Lesley and Kasia, who were tirelessly looking after children needing a drink of water
for some children it was the very first time on ice! We saw them start with shaky knees, arms flapping and their body wobbling as they had to negotiate the slippery ice. However, their resilience brought fruit.
by Sonia Sedda
WEK FOUR
ICE SKATING
On Saturday, April 2nd, 2022, Fr Peter, Bro Stephen, Lesley, Sonia and Kasia accompanied a group of 17 children on the trip to Streatham Ice Rink. The day was sunny and warm day when we gathered together in Sacred Heart Church before our journey began; in moment of prayer we asked Our Lady to watch over us and to keep us safe on our journey and on ice.
Next, we swiftly walked down Battersea High Street and hopped on the 319 bus to St Leonard’s Church in Streatham. The peaceful journey on the top deck of the bus took us through winding streets of south London while the children ate their picnic lunch of sandwiches and treats excitedly. Before we knew, it was time to get off.
After that, we walked down the hill passing the shops and the cafes until we got to the Leisure Centre. Thanks to the generosity of the staff, we were let in much earlier and given an ample time to put on the ice skates. A couple of anxious first timers enthusiastically grabbed hold of the Snowman, the ice-skater’s aid, and were set to go! The children were thrilled and with much anticipation awaited the first adult to step on the ice! Soon everyone was on the ice, some making tiny moves, others gliding with style. We have seen an astounding bravery - for some children it was the very first time on ice! We saw them start with shaky knees, arms flapping and their body wobbling as they had to negotiate the slippery ice. However, their resilience brought fruit – we witnessed a confidence, which painted smiles on their faces, making them feel proud for always rising up after their wobbles.
Ice skating is a thirsty business, and we were very grateful to Lesley and Kasia, who were tirelessly looking after children needing a drink of water or who had to be accompanied to the toilet. It was such a joy to see the children develop on ice from shaky to secure. In addition, it was even more uplifting to see them help each other and to encourage one another, making sure that everyone was having a lovely time. We all made sure that no one was left behind. We were again very lucky to enjoy extra time and it was difficult to get everyone off the ice at the end to let the great ice smoothing vehicle to erase the stories of our successes and failures that we were writing that afternoon.
At the end, with their own shoes back on, the children dived hungrily into their bags and fished whatever treats and biscuits they could find. Once watered and fed we started our journey back, full of great memories and looking forward to the next time. Thank you, Mamma Mary, for watching over us! We had a truly blessed time.