This Friday's Friday Post

Happy Friday my criminal justice system colleagues!

This weeks article finds me tapping away at my keyboard in a train heading home from Reading Crown Court.

I attended at Reading in order to finalise a case that for one reason or another has been dragging on forever. This has been a week of flitting between Courts and of nerves and preparation looking to get this case finalised in a satisfactory way for my client.

I am happy to report that Reading robing room is as friendly as ours oop north! We have had some laughs and everyone has been very welcoming. There has been some tetchy-ness in this case but all parties have managed to leave it in the Court room and have been able to carry on as normal in the robing room.

This is quite a skill that we develop (admittedly some develop it better then others!), in that we are able to go at it in Court but then take a step back when in the robing room and get back to being friendly and supportive.

My professional colleagues here in Reading have been lovely, we have chatted about many things: holidays, our children, careers and the weather. It helped calm my nerves and after a very early start was nice to have the ability to re-set before dealing with my case.

I have to confess to being a little out of sorts this week. I was tired after last weekends Scout camp and found it hard to get going this week. I have been grumpy as a result and I take this opportunity to apologise again to Michelle Zelazowski who has suffered my grump without actually hurting me!

Having finally got going I was able to carry momentum and keep rolling. I found that the more I did the better I felt. My cycling to work in the much nicer weather and getting out for a long run certainly helped and I am now back to my usual self.

It is reassuring that even as a grown up there times when we need support and that there are people there to provide it. Loved ones, friends and colleagues all support us in our day to day, sometimes without knowing it.

As we head towards International Women's Day I would like to take a moment to celebrate the fantastic strong women in my life.

Michelle Zelazowski is the dictionary definition of a strong professional woman and maintains her professional position while also balancing a home life with a large baldie husband and two utterly lovely but boisterous, noisy and adventurous boys. She is also 1/3 of a PTA, and a governor at two schools.

That home life balance is hard won and fiercely protected. She manages to be robust, caring and dedicated in her professional life and loving, caring, supportive and nurturing in her personal life. The ability to tickle wrestle a wriggly giggly 9 year old into submission minutes before jumping on to a meeting with the management of a national law firm is the perfect image for the balance that women have to find. Michelle balances two different roles, while supporting those who are coming into the profession and raising up, mentoring and supporting other women where she can.

The ability to forge a career, while still having a home life is hard for anyone, but for those women who have children there is the additional pressures of motherhood, of schools, school holidays and appointments. Yes I do my part as do many men but women still do the majority when children are small, and there are always times when only mummy will do, and Mummys always do.

I hear so many female colleagues talk about mum guilt, on behalf of men, you are all smashing it. You are amazing. Do not beat yourselves up. No matter what you may feel, your little (or big) rascals wouldn't have you any other way.

I work with many strong women on a day to day basis at different stages of their careers, I try to support them where and when I can and am grateful for their support and friendship.

Sometimes men do not know how best to support their female colleagues, but most of us want to and will in any way we can. Please guide us and ask if there is anything we can do.

This Saturday is not only International Women's day, but is also littles Z's birthday and party. He is having a Nerf party which will see me and Michelle Zelazowski load up our big old nerf guns and make our stand against a platoon of 10 year olds! We welcome your thoughts and prayers!

Take the weekend to relax and unwind if you can. Recharge and lets get back to it next week, together.

lots of Love,

Damian