Rhodri from the Owl Centre, who have very generously supported this blog for what I think must be five years now, has been in touch with a report on developments and it appears below. It sets our their degree of support for Cardiff City and merits a read by all supporters of the club – they really do perform an important function in the field of education and I proud of Mauve and Yellow Army’s association with them.
“With a new season for City underway, The Owl Centre is delighted to continue to support Paul’s excellent blog.
As with City, The Owl Centre has new additions to its management team, having welcomed this year a new CEO and a Chief Financial Officer as well as a significant number of other staff members. This increase in numbers and experience will hopefully help lay the platform for continued, sustained development and growth.
One of the new members of the senior management team joins us from PwC in Cardiff and is someone well known to message board readers. He hasn’t missed a City game (home or away) in about 20 years, and is usually good for a rumour or two… If we hear anything, we’ll let Paul know!
Anyone who has visited Cardiff’s Academy in Llanrumney may have seen a BMX track under construction next door. This project is being led by The Owl Centre’s new CEO (in his spare time, as if he has any!), will be the biggest track in Europe, and is being sponsored by The Owl Centre.
The Owl Centre is also looking into sponsoring the Academy. Although England remains our most busy area, our presence in Wales is continuing to grow. As well as offering private assessment and therapy services for adults and children, we’re also currently providing autism assessments for Flintshire NHS trust, and have bids in with other trusts, too.
One of The Owl Centre’s owners and directors is just starting his 70th season as a CCFC supporter, and (amazingly!) he remains as optimistic as ever. And on that upbeat note, The Owl Centre wishes City the very best for the season.”
I feel it is a black mark against me in that I have never expressed my thanks in writing to The Owl Centre for standing by Paul when there was a real danger that this wonderful blog would go under.
In my defence, I guess I suffer from the same malaise that afflicts 99% of us… viz… a feeling that if newspapers like The Guardian/Daily Mail/The Indie are free online, and the likes of YouTube* and Spotify are also free… then everything else should be.
But with this attitude, we close our eyes to the real world. Thank heavens The Owl Centre did not ‘walk by on the other side’, as I shamefully did.
(The following is with apologies to Edward Lear)…
?The Owl Centre looked up to the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,”Oh lovely MAYA
Oh MAYA, our love,
What a commendable dream site you are, you are, you are,
What a Bluebirds’ addition you are.”
* as a Canadian music guru once said to me in a letter… ‘Dai, YouTube is a miracle that far exceeds water into wine’.
TTFN,
Dai.
Thanks Dai, I’ve said I’m proud to be associated with the Owl Centre and I mean it – it’s a great cause and their Cardiff City credentials are impeccable.
One of the things which I was determined to do when I stared Mauve and Yellow Army off fourteen years ago this month was not to have adverts on here. The Owl Centre were synonymous in allowing that to be maintained five years ago when it looked for a while like the blog would not be able to continue – I’m very happy with the association between them and Mauve and Yellow Army and hope it continues through more seasons.