A flower for tomorrow - Ciska Faulkner
Today was a good day.I journeyed down to Bristol to call upon the Natural History Unit literally to show my face. As I don't live in Bristol (aka The Green Hollywood) I have to make a concerted effort to keep my profile up with the television folk there.
An incredible thing happened today though. Whilst in a meeting with one of the top honchos in the unit, I met my maker - my fairy godmother. Let me explain. Several years ago, this executive was at home with her gran who was suffering with Alzeheimer's. To keep her gran entertained, she noticed a Readers Digest VHS by the TV about bird watching in Britain. She stuck it in the video and settled back to watch it with her gran.
Shortly, she came across a black guy with blond hair chatting about the virtues of urban birding in Wormwood Scrubs and Brent Reservoir (a few miles up the road). That guy was me back in 1997. I was working as the Head of Membership at the British Trust for Ornithology at the time and was approached by a production company to film this segment.
Anyway, the next day my discoverer took the VHS to work to show the Talent people. Eventually, they contacted me in 2006 to appear in Springwatch and the rest is history. To meet the woman who set me on my path was truly an amazing moment.
At lunchtime, I met with editorial team at BBC Wildlife Magazine and we all went off to a nearby cafe for lunch. By the end of lunch I was invited to write for this award winning magazine. It will initially be a couple of pieces this year with the probability of a monthly piece from the January 2010 issue.
I was delighted. I think that this may be my year.
Well I hope so.
3 comments:
Congratulations. Look forward to reading you there.
Thanks Alan
Well I am glad that lady found you as you have inspired me to look above more and in the town too. I thought I had to drive out to the country to see anything!
Well done you!
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