book night replies

Following World Book Day, and giving copies of Stuart: a life backwards to some of the councillors and staff of Sheffield City Council to highlight the plight of Sheffield's homeless and rootless I have had a number of replies.

So far I have heard from: -

The Lord Mayor

The Director of Care and Support

Cabinet member for Business, Transport & Skills

Chief Executive of the council

Director of Commissioning - Communities

Councillor for Beauchief & Greenhill

Deputy Chief Executive of the council

I'm very pleased with these replies, but the one I'm most pleased with is from the new Director of Care and Support, and for that reason I'm going to type it out here -

Dear Sarah

I was delighted to receive a copy of 'Stuart: A Life Backwards' as part of the first World Book Night; and that you had carried out your research to identify myself as a recipient.

This is going to be a worthy challenge, on two fronts!  Firstly, I am notoriously, a poor reader of books; and have been all my life!  To say that I spend my working week and many evenings reading hundreds of emails, council reports and national policy publications etc; and that I have had my fill of 'reading' when I can relax - would be only partly true.  My reluctance has been with me all of my life!  However, in recent years, there has been some positive signs of change, and perhaps even, growth!  When on holiday, I do now set myself a challenge of reading 1 or 2 books - murder, mysteries or humour - nothing too heavy and intellectually stimulating - but it is a start!

So first challenge, is to actually read this book! The good news is that I am holiday week beginning 20th March; and this WILL be the book I read.

The second challenge - will it stir me on, to help influence our policy and practice with people who are rootless and homeless? I hope so.  The time could not be better.  From February, as part of a reorganisation, I have taken on Director responsibilities for our homelessness services, alongside adult social care services.  I will be looking to the book as part of my 'induction', alongside meeting our teams, and people who use our services.

I note how influenced you were by the book; and if it touches me even a fraction in the same way, then it will be a successful venture!

So, thanks again Sarah.  I'm up for the challenge!

Yours sincerely

Eddie Sherwood
Director of Care and Support

PS. I'm happy for you to share this correspondence if it helps the World Book Night project.

I'm so impressed that he took the trouble to reply with such a detailed answer, it's completely what I hoped from sending the book to councillors and MPs, and I do intend to email him in April to see what he thought of the book!!