Rachel Killington has renewed enthusiasm for her work at the end of a tough month co-ordinating the radio station’s team out in the community. Perfection overload My final two-week stint as Black Thunder Team Co-ordinator (coupled with a large amount of hindsight) has led to the realisation of a number of candid revelations.
Although I felt I struggled with my responsibilities initially, realistically I know I did a good job; I have a tendency to be overly analytical and critical of myself (and my tea mug that says ‘Drama Queen’ is indeed particularly justified at times), and I love my job far more than I ever thought possible. Yes there were times when it seemed that nothing would go right, but with hindsight I’ve realised that by setting unprecedented levels of perfection I made my job an awful lot more difficult. I did settle into a routine, and things did become far easier - once I had given myself room to breathe. And as I approached the conclusion of my four weeks at the helm I’ll admit I was sorely disappointed that it had to come to an end. I’m so grateful I was given the opportunity to prove myself, and I learnt a great deal in those four weeks. I realised that teamwork is crucial - what a listener experiences when they switch on the radio is almost exoskeletal - presenters deliver the polished product but that requires an awful lot of preparation and hard work from a large number of people on the inside. Each person is a vital link in the chain - each with a different but nonetheless essential role to play, and the formula just doesn’t add up without all the main ingredients. Those few weeks have infused me with a renewed love for my job, and made me realise just how important my role is. I may not be in a high profile, prime position like the presenters. I don’t cover groundbreaking stories like the news team, or generate vital income like the sales department, but the work the Black Thunder Team do is essential and I’m so proud to be a part of that. In perspectiveThis week in particular has made me appreciate what I have, and what teamwork can achieve. A few weeks ago we suffered terrible flooding in the area. Homes, businesses and people were left devastated by the effects of the flood water, and a local community library lost their entire stock of children’s literature because of it. We launched an on-air appeal, and listeners donated over 6,000 books to replace those that were lost. The Black Thunder Team delivered the books to the library and it was a truly humbling experience, and one I shall remember for a long time to come. On Tuesday I was lucky enough to meet a remarkable little boy called Daniel. He was physically disabled and had endured a life many of us just couldn’t imagine. When I turned up for his Cool Ride to School his face was a picture, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile so wide. He had suffered not only the pain of countless operations, but had been a victim of merciless bullying all his life - his mother told me he had been so brave and never complained, although he often questioned why he was ‘different’. That little boy was so happy, so friendly and full of life despite all the heartache he had had to endure, and he was so pleased and excited by his Cool Ride in the Black Thunder. Before we left the house for the Cool Ride he gave his mum a hug and thanked her for arranging it, then turned to me to tell me it was the best day of his life. Never before had I felt so humble, and I went home thinking about just how much I have to be thankful for. We all have bad days - times when everything seems to go wrong, but that little boy was so happy, caring and selfless despite his obvious difficulties. So next time I’m whingeing about having no spare time, moaning that I’ve got too much to do, or moping over a broken heart, remind me of that little boy - we could all learn a lot from him. See Rachel's previous job logs: | 
