Baby’s First Job – My Initial Week At About the Town.

Hello all! If you haven’t already seen on our newsletter, or our socials, the search for a Kickstart candidate is over, and I’m Bev’s new assistant editor, Adam- a big bear human with a shiny new degree certificate. I’ve become the latest member of the team, and have taken up the second desk in About the Town’s little corner in the Peel House, Your Protection office. I’ve been busy this week making visual content, invoicing, and even writing an article or two which will be featured in this autumn’s magazine, fuelled only by copious mugs of tea and the occasional Cadbury’s Mini Roll. 

Bev’s been a dream of a boss – or as she prefers to be known, friendly work colleague that tells me what to do- and my first week on the job has been smooth and comfortable. The office is friendly, the work is honestly really fun and I’ve gotten lots of well-wishes and kind words from About the Town’s many friends and colleagues, which I appreciate with all my heart. 

Before this, Bev was working all on her own up here; sure her wonderful directors and her team at Artz Centre have been wonderful in their efforts to put the magazine together, but all the writing and research has been from her head. Things had been piling up for her. So now I’m on board the most uttered phrase around our corner each time I email her some work is “you’ve saved my life”. 

But how did I come upon this job?

As stated, I was employed through Kickstarter. I live outside Skelmersdale, in a tiny hamlet in the middle of farmland where, prior to my appointment here, I spent most of my time playing The Legend of Zelda in my own filth. I’m a fresh graduate, so once I had my ceremony and put my robes in their box, the question bouncing around my head was, “what now?”

I took my degree, Creative Writing and Drama, on the basis that those were the two things I was good at, with no concrete plan for my future – you can imagine the awkward silences at family gatherings when a twenty one year old was asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” to be met only with a grunt of “dunno”. Thus, with no plan in my mind, I headed to the job centre. Kickstarter was explained to me and I got a sheet with a bunch of hair salon and Starbucks jobs on it. I figured I’d skim later, but not two hours after I got home I suddenly had an interview here! Kickstarter had given Bev my C.V and she knew I was right for the job. I had the interview, and the position, in three days or so after my initial job centre appointment. I didn’t think it’d be this easy, or be for a job this rewarding and up my street!

So here I am, one week and a whole new wardrobe of business casual clothes later, and I’m one of the About the Town family, trekking up three flights of stairs Monday to Thursday, and waking up at seven in the morning- I know, shock/horror!

With the latter half of the quarter, it’s all hands on deck, but I’ve adapted quickly and adore every second. I love to create, I love to get people thinking and talking, and I love to incite positive change. I may be relatively new to the Skelmersdale Community, but I’m falling more and more in love with it every day. 

I’m officially here for six months, but with the way things are going now, I’m raring to stay on for as long as I can. I hope you’ll all cheer me on- and make sure to check out my work on the latest newsletter, (where you can win a One4All Voucher worth £10, just saying), and keep an eye out for my name in About the Town’s Autumn edition, coming next month. I’ve worked on a fascinating piece for Skelmersdale Heritage, and a small story on a town haunting, just in time for spooky season! Make sure to give them a read, and show us some love on social media. Or, if you want to get involved, whether you have a story for us, an event to show us, or if you are a business wanting to share your work, email Bev at editor@aboutthetown.co.uk. I don’t have my own email yet but I’ll be here too!