This afternoon, Gwinear Church had their carol service. I promised Margaret Stapleton that I would make this one having been unable to make the Harvest Festival in the autumn.
My family have lived in Gwinear for many generations. It is the church where I was christened and my grandfather once helped raise the money to replace the church bells. Today, a cousin of mine is a bell ringer there.
The turnout for the carol service was good this year. There was a packed programme of readings and all the favourite carols were there.
I also had the chance before the service started to have a chat with George Ansell about some of the work he has been leading to encourage the uptake of the Cornish language. George has lived in the parish for as long as I can remember and has long championed the Cornish language through his work on the Cornish Language Board.
Sunday, 13 December 2009
Wednesday, 9 December 2009
David Willetts visit
I always recommend the sleeper train to Shadow Cabinet members visiting Cornwall. Today we had David Willetts with a very busy schedule and we also needed to get him back to London for a speech tonight.
We kicked off with a briefing at the Knowledge Spa in Truro with a group of staff involved in delivering the development of further and higher education provision in Cornwall and a more detailed look at some of the plans for the medical school and Truro College.
Cornwall has developed some very innovative ideas in further and higher education. The Combined Universties for Cornwall is a partnership that includes Exeter University, the Falmouth School of Arts and Plymouth University. It has been successful at increasing higher education provision in Cornwall and is a model that might be worth replicating elsewhere in the country. David Willetts was keen to learn more about it today.
Next up was a visit to the Tremough Campus for a briefing on the research work being done into marine energy and a tour of the design facilities at the Falmouth School of Arts. We held a marine energy summit at Tremough earlier in the summer and so it was useful to get an update on progress with the Wave Hub project.
We finished the morning with a visit to Cornwall College Camborne where David was able to sit in on a seminar for students on a renewable energy course. They were receiving presentations from and the chance to ask questions of recent graduates who were now in the world of work. Top of their concern was whether they too would be able to get jobs after completing their studies and so sessions like this are incredibly important.
The challenge in the last decade has been getting more people into further and higher education. The challenge now is going to be getting people from study into work and Cornwall College has pioneered a number of new ideas to bring their work closer to the world of business.
We kicked off with a briefing at the Knowledge Spa in Truro with a group of staff involved in delivering the development of further and higher education provision in Cornwall and a more detailed look at some of the plans for the medical school and Truro College.
Cornwall has developed some very innovative ideas in further and higher education. The Combined Universties for Cornwall is a partnership that includes Exeter University, the Falmouth School of Arts and Plymouth University. It has been successful at increasing higher education provision in Cornwall and is a model that might be worth replicating elsewhere in the country. David Willetts was keen to learn more about it today.
Next up was a visit to the Tremough Campus for a briefing on the research work being done into marine energy and a tour of the design facilities at the Falmouth School of Arts. We held a marine energy summit at Tremough earlier in the summer and so it was useful to get an update on progress with the Wave Hub project.
We finished the morning with a visit to Cornwall College Camborne where David was able to sit in on a seminar for students on a renewable energy course. They were receiving presentations from and the chance to ask questions of recent graduates who were now in the world of work. Top of their concern was whether they too would be able to get jobs after completing their studies and so sessions like this are incredibly important.
The challenge in the last decade has been getting more people into further and higher education. The challenge now is going to be getting people from study into work and Cornwall College has pioneered a number of new ideas to bring their work closer to the world of business.
Friday, 4 December 2009
Music at Treleigh
The last time I was at Treleigh Church was for the wedding of my cousin. His wife, Debbie, was a teacher at Treleigh School.
I have kept in touch with the work of Searchlight since I met them in Redruth earlier this year and receive their weekly update. Tonight the Searchlight team were giving a performance at Treleigh Church in Redruth along with many others.
The inspiration behind tonight’s event is Kirsty Rowe, a local music tutor who has taught many of those performing. She is raising money for Cornwall Hospice Care. I recognised a couple of the Searchlight team who kicked off the performance. Aaron had been at the first meeting I attended and tonight gave a very impressive performance of “I dreamed a dream” from Les Miserables. Also singing as part of the group tonight was Deanne who, last time I visited, was teaching the younger children in Searchlight about ballet.
There were many performances and all the local schools were involved. Two boys from Hayle School took on the task of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” – a tough challenge but excellently delivered! And there were others, like Sarah, with less natural confidence but who had grown considerably in ability since first approaching Kirsty for singing lessons.
This is one of many Christmas musical events...and tomorrow we have the Christmas lights at Camborne.
I have kept in touch with the work of Searchlight since I met them in Redruth earlier this year and receive their weekly update. Tonight the Searchlight team were giving a performance at Treleigh Church in Redruth along with many others.
The inspiration behind tonight’s event is Kirsty Rowe, a local music tutor who has taught many of those performing. She is raising money for Cornwall Hospice Care. I recognised a couple of the Searchlight team who kicked off the performance. Aaron had been at the first meeting I attended and tonight gave a very impressive performance of “I dreamed a dream” from Les Miserables. Also singing as part of the group tonight was Deanne who, last time I visited, was teaching the younger children in Searchlight about ballet.
There were many performances and all the local schools were involved. Two boys from Hayle School took on the task of Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” – a tough challenge but excellently delivered! And there were others, like Sarah, with less natural confidence but who had grown considerably in ability since first approaching Kirsty for singing lessons.
This is one of many Christmas musical events...and tomorrow we have the Christmas lights at Camborne.
Friday, 27 November 2009
Clearing road barriers
Later today I had another meeting with the team at CPR Regeneration. The regeneration work being carried out by CPR is going to have a crucial impact on our area and, in my view, it is exactly the sort of situation where local politicians should be prepared to roll up their sleeves and try to solve problems - however hard they might be.
To give credit where credit is due, Candy Atherton, the last Labour MP for this area, did actually try her best to support the early work of CPR in the time she was there.
Conservatives pioneered the concept of Urban Regeneration Companies and Enterprise Zones twenty years ago and we need to make the most of opportunities now. Today we discussed issues around the Highways Agency and County Highways and how a future government might be able to make coordination between the two better so that regeneration work is not obstructed.
It is so important to get basic issues like this right.
To give credit where credit is due, Candy Atherton, the last Labour MP for this area, did actually try her best to support the early work of CPR in the time she was there.
Conservatives pioneered the concept of Urban Regeneration Companies and Enterprise Zones twenty years ago and we need to make the most of opportunities now. Today we discussed issues around the Highways Agency and County Highways and how a future government might be able to make coordination between the two better so that regeneration work is not obstructed.
It is so important to get basic issues like this right.
Supporting families affected by disability
I started the day with a meeting with Janice Jenner and Liz Farmer for a briefing on the work (and some of the frustrations) encountered by 'Contact a Family' – a social enterprise that supports and provides advice to families with disabled children.
When I worked for the Conservative Party as the Head of External Relations, one of the groups that I worked closely with was the Conservative Disability Group which developed thinking to help support disabled people in our community. It was Margaret Thatcher who introduced the first Disability Services Act in 1986 which required local authorities to think more about the responsibility they had to help ensure people with impairments could take their place in society and we can be proud of what has been achieved.
Today, one of the issues that needs to be looked at is how we help those who care for others. There are often issues with child carers who have to look after parents suffering from illness or disability. More often, families with disabled children need emotional and often financial support to help them care for their children and siblings can be affected too.
Many parents in this situation find themselves confronted with a barrage of bureaucratic processes - with seemingly endless, spirit crushing forms to fill out to get anywhere. I have always been quite attracted to some of the ideas practiced in countries like Sweden and actually piloted in some local authorities in Britain, where you simplify the process, have a single assessment of need and then give more power to families to determine how their budget is spent.
The thing about disability is that each and every situation is unique and so the system needs to have plenty of flexibility to respond to differing needs. All too often it fails to do that. There is no shortage of government guidance piled layer on layer from above but the system just doesn’t respond adequately to the unique needs of the individual case.
That is why I think there is a lot of potential for social enterprises in this field – because they can offer support which is more personalised.
When I worked for the Conservative Party as the Head of External Relations, one of the groups that I worked closely with was the Conservative Disability Group which developed thinking to help support disabled people in our community. It was Margaret Thatcher who introduced the first Disability Services Act in 1986 which required local authorities to think more about the responsibility they had to help ensure people with impairments could take their place in society and we can be proud of what has been achieved.
Today, one of the issues that needs to be looked at is how we help those who care for others. There are often issues with child carers who have to look after parents suffering from illness or disability. More often, families with disabled children need emotional and often financial support to help them care for their children and siblings can be affected too.
Many parents in this situation find themselves confronted with a barrage of bureaucratic processes - with seemingly endless, spirit crushing forms to fill out to get anywhere. I have always been quite attracted to some of the ideas practiced in countries like Sweden and actually piloted in some local authorities in Britain, where you simplify the process, have a single assessment of need and then give more power to families to determine how their budget is spent.
The thing about disability is that each and every situation is unique and so the system needs to have plenty of flexibility to respond to differing needs. All too often it fails to do that. There is no shortage of government guidance piled layer on layer from above but the system just doesn’t respond adequately to the unique needs of the individual case.
That is why I think there is a lot of potential for social enterprises in this field – because they can offer support which is more personalised.
Sunday, 8 November 2009
Remembrance Sunday
Today I attended the Remembrance Sunday parade and service at Camborne. The attendance was higher this year than for many years previously - almost certainly linked to the fact that the difficulties and the casualties our forces are suffering in the current mission in Afghanistan has had an impact on the whole country.
The parade started at 10.30 from Camborne Community Centre. There had been concerns about the weather. It was breezy to say the least but the rain held off which was what mattered. As well as many local forces veterans, there was a strong turn out from the cadets, the Scout movement and the Brownies. Following behind the veterans were representatives from local politics and business: the chambers of commerce, councillors and the candidates from the three political parties.
The mission in Afghanistan would be the gravest responsibility of any future government and Prime Minster. I travelled with David Cameron to visit British forces in Afghanistan in July 2006 when I was his Press Secretary. I saw first-hand the work that our troops were doing in Kandahar, Camp Bastion and Lashkar Gah. The fighting was intense even in 2006 and then, as now, there were issues around equipment and support – particularly helicopters.
Our armed forces have a “can do” attitude and get the job done without complaining. But I feel very strongly that government has a duty to do its bit to ensure that, if we ask our forces to put their lives at risk, then we must do all we can to ensure they are properly equipped and that their families are supported and that if they should be wounded they are properly looked after. It is because they don’t complain that we should all take extra care to make sure they are not taken for granted.
After that visit to Afghanistan in 2006, David Cameron set up a commission to look again at the “Military Covenant” – the unwritten agreement between society and the forces which says that, in return for taking extraordinary risks on our behalf, we will do our bit to see they are looked after. The Commission took a detailed look at conditions for our forces today and it came up with a raft of proposals to improve the way they and their families are treated. It would be an important step forward.
The parade started at 10.30 from Camborne Community Centre. There had been concerns about the weather. It was breezy to say the least but the rain held off which was what mattered. As well as many local forces veterans, there was a strong turn out from the cadets, the Scout movement and the Brownies. Following behind the veterans were representatives from local politics and business: the chambers of commerce, councillors and the candidates from the three political parties.
The mission in Afghanistan would be the gravest responsibility of any future government and Prime Minster. I travelled with David Cameron to visit British forces in Afghanistan in July 2006 when I was his Press Secretary. I saw first-hand the work that our troops were doing in Kandahar, Camp Bastion and Lashkar Gah. The fighting was intense even in 2006 and then, as now, there were issues around equipment and support – particularly helicopters.
Our armed forces have a “can do” attitude and get the job done without complaining. But I feel very strongly that government has a duty to do its bit to ensure that, if we ask our forces to put their lives at risk, then we must do all we can to ensure they are properly equipped and that their families are supported and that if they should be wounded they are properly looked after. It is because they don’t complain that we should all take extra care to make sure they are not taken for granted.
After that visit to Afghanistan in 2006, David Cameron set up a commission to look again at the “Military Covenant” – the unwritten agreement between society and the forces which says that, in return for taking extraordinary risks on our behalf, we will do our bit to see they are looked after. The Commission took a detailed look at conditions for our forces today and it came up with a raft of proposals to improve the way they and their families are treated. It would be an important step forward.
Friday, 6 November 2009
Let local communities make decisions on housing
You can judge politicians by the consistency of the position they take on contentious issues. One of the things that irritates people about some MPs today is the sense that some of them change their tune on difficult issues depending on who they are talking to and so it is difficult to work out where they stand and whether they can be trusted.
One such issue is housing. In Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, we have a local need for some additional housing. A report by the former Kerrier Council suggested that there was a need for perhaps an additional 2000 homes in the Camborne and Redruth area over the next ten years or so. The problem is real. There are many families where young couples are unable to leave their parents’ home to have a place of their own. “Sofa surfing” is the term used to describe those who have to rough it at the homes of friends and family and it affects many in our community.
But what should have been a straight forward response at the local level to this problem has been turned into chaos by a crazy plan from the Labour government started by John Prescott. Rather than allowing local communities to decide what their local needs were and build what was required, instead they created a national “target” and set up a so called “Regional Assembly” that dictated from the centre that Camborne and Redruth must build 11,000 new homes, irrespective of local need. We only have 18,000 homes in Camborne and Redruth now, and so a two thirds increase of 11,000 homes is clearly barking.
There are three things I believe and I have been consistent from the start. Firstly, decisions should be taken locally and so I am absolutely opposed to the crackpot, centrally imposed government targets that have been forced on us. A future Conservative government would abolish the Regional Planning Bodies and the Regional Spatial Strategies and return decision making to local communities. Secondly, we do have a local need for some new housing in our area but the figure is way, way below what has been set out in the government target. Finally, I believe that we have a number of brown field sites in Camborne and Redruth and that should be where any new developments are built so that we protect our green spaces.
I have been saying the same three things to everyone, whether they are struggling to find a home or whether they are worried about over-development. In Cornwall we are fortunate in having the Trelawney Alliance to coordinate the campaign against mass house building targets and I supported their rally in the spring. The two strengths of the Trelawney Alliance are that they are not party political so are open to people of all political persuasions but they also take a balanced view and accept that there is a need for some new housing for local needs.
I don’t usually use this diary to comment on my opponents, but the twists and turns of the local Lib Dem MP on this issue have been truly bizarre. She says one thing in London and another thing in Cornwall.
First she said in parliament that she “fully supported” plans for mass housing in Camborne and Redruth and that her only worry was whether there was enough capacity in the building industry to lay the concrete fast enough. Then, in the face of local opposition, she claimed she had changed her mind and was going to oppose the central targets after all. Then, just weeks after pledging to support the Conservative policy on abolishing targets, she attacked the same Conservative policy in the Daily Mirror and said that Conservatives were “in denial” by opposing central targets. Now the Lib Dems have put out a leaflet stating precisely the reverse – and falsely claiming that the Conservative policy of sharing the benefits of new housing development would mean mass house building. The Lib Dems are all over the place.
I have always felt that one of the problems with our planning system is that there are too many win-lose scenarios. If a developer gets his plans through, he makes a good profit but the community can often feel that it is worse off and is paying the price with additional pressures on services. That is why the Conservatives have been looking at ways to make the planning system fairer and less confrontational and to share the benefits of small scale new developments. This means giving financial help to those communities who decide that they do need more housing to help cope with the requirement for additional services that comes with new developments.
It is an approach that is based on carrots rather than sticks and it makes a lot of sense. Local communities will have the final say but they will be supported and the financial benefits shared. Anyone who actually believed in liberal values and sustainable communities would support it.
One such issue is housing. In Camborne, Redruth and Hayle, we have a local need for some additional housing. A report by the former Kerrier Council suggested that there was a need for perhaps an additional 2000 homes in the Camborne and Redruth area over the next ten years or so. The problem is real. There are many families where young couples are unable to leave their parents’ home to have a place of their own. “Sofa surfing” is the term used to describe those who have to rough it at the homes of friends and family and it affects many in our community.
But what should have been a straight forward response at the local level to this problem has been turned into chaos by a crazy plan from the Labour government started by John Prescott. Rather than allowing local communities to decide what their local needs were and build what was required, instead they created a national “target” and set up a so called “Regional Assembly” that dictated from the centre that Camborne and Redruth must build 11,000 new homes, irrespective of local need. We only have 18,000 homes in Camborne and Redruth now, and so a two thirds increase of 11,000 homes is clearly barking.
There are three things I believe and I have been consistent from the start. Firstly, decisions should be taken locally and so I am absolutely opposed to the crackpot, centrally imposed government targets that have been forced on us. A future Conservative government would abolish the Regional Planning Bodies and the Regional Spatial Strategies and return decision making to local communities. Secondly, we do have a local need for some new housing in our area but the figure is way, way below what has been set out in the government target. Finally, I believe that we have a number of brown field sites in Camborne and Redruth and that should be where any new developments are built so that we protect our green spaces.
I have been saying the same three things to everyone, whether they are struggling to find a home or whether they are worried about over-development. In Cornwall we are fortunate in having the Trelawney Alliance to coordinate the campaign against mass house building targets and I supported their rally in the spring. The two strengths of the Trelawney Alliance are that they are not party political so are open to people of all political persuasions but they also take a balanced view and accept that there is a need for some new housing for local needs.
I don’t usually use this diary to comment on my opponents, but the twists and turns of the local Lib Dem MP on this issue have been truly bizarre. She says one thing in London and another thing in Cornwall.
First she said in parliament that she “fully supported” plans for mass housing in Camborne and Redruth and that her only worry was whether there was enough capacity in the building industry to lay the concrete fast enough. Then, in the face of local opposition, she claimed she had changed her mind and was going to oppose the central targets after all. Then, just weeks after pledging to support the Conservative policy on abolishing targets, she attacked the same Conservative policy in the Daily Mirror and said that Conservatives were “in denial” by opposing central targets. Now the Lib Dems have put out a leaflet stating precisely the reverse – and falsely claiming that the Conservative policy of sharing the benefits of new housing development would mean mass house building. The Lib Dems are all over the place.
I have always felt that one of the problems with our planning system is that there are too many win-lose scenarios. If a developer gets his plans through, he makes a good profit but the community can often feel that it is worse off and is paying the price with additional pressures on services. That is why the Conservatives have been looking at ways to make the planning system fairer and less confrontational and to share the benefits of small scale new developments. This means giving financial help to those communities who decide that they do need more housing to help cope with the requirement for additional services that comes with new developments.
It is an approach that is based on carrots rather than sticks and it makes a lot of sense. Local communities will have the final say but they will be supported and the financial benefits shared. Anyone who actually believed in liberal values and sustainable communities would support it.
Friday, 23 October 2009
Cornwall Animal Hospital
Tommy Bray has been a real trooper supporting local charities in the Redruth area over many years. So when he called me last week to invite me in to see the work of the Cornwall Animal Hospital, I had no hesitation at all.
The Cornwall Animal Ambulance and Hospital (to use its full name) supports local people with the veterinary needs of their pets. They now have around 10,500 customers and typically have about 40 dogs a day coming through the small centre at Treleigh. They have some exciting plans for a major expansion in capacity with plans for a new extension within the next few years.
They offer highly competitive rates to help raise funds from the public but also heavily subsidised rates for those who cannot afford veterinary costs. They have a network of charity shops in the area to raise the funds to allow them to run the centre.
Today I met Vicky and other staff from the hospital. Among the animals at the centre today were a cat which was recovering after being hit by a car and a young ferret they have named Francesca who was found wondering free in Tehidy woods last week.
For many people, particularly older people living on their own, their pets provide really important companionship and the work of charities like the Cornwall Animal Hospital is an important life line.
The Cornwall Animal Ambulance and Hospital (to use its full name) supports local people with the veterinary needs of their pets. They now have around 10,500 customers and typically have about 40 dogs a day coming through the small centre at Treleigh. They have some exciting plans for a major expansion in capacity with plans for a new extension within the next few years.
They offer highly competitive rates to help raise funds from the public but also heavily subsidised rates for those who cannot afford veterinary costs. They have a network of charity shops in the area to raise the funds to allow them to run the centre.
Today I met Vicky and other staff from the hospital. Among the animals at the centre today were a cat which was recovering after being hit by a car and a young ferret they have named Francesca who was found wondering free in Tehidy woods last week.
For many people, particularly older people living on their own, their pets provide really important companionship and the work of charities like the Cornwall Animal Hospital is an important life line.
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Finding new homes
Today I visited the National Animal Welfare Trust based on Wheal Alfred Road near Hayle. The NAWT have had a branch on Wheal Alfred Road for many years but the site underwent a major refurbishment last year with completely new kennels.
Louise Barker manages the centre and explained to me how they re-home over 500 dogs and around 100 cats every year. A really impressive record. Today I met a number of the current residents. Across the country there is a real problem at the moment with Staffordshire Terriers being abandoned or given up and Cornwall is no exception. They are victims of a fashion for the breed among young men in particular, and a misguided perception that it is possible to make money from breeding them.
The NAWT has many volunteer dog walkers to make sure their dogs get good exercise and a change of scenery. They also have an agility course to keep them entertained and engaged.
Fifteen years ago I took on a rescue dog from the RSPCA. Mono was an amazingly intelligent and loving Border Collie but, like many collies, also suffered from a few issues - most notably bells and ringing phones which led to the interior of more than one of my cars being a bit torn up unexpectedly.
That we are a nation of animal lovers is proved by the fact that there are so many vibrant charities like the NAWT out there doing this sort of work with so many volunteers willing to support them.
Louise Barker manages the centre and explained to me how they re-home over 500 dogs and around 100 cats every year. A really impressive record. Today I met a number of the current residents. Across the country there is a real problem at the moment with Staffordshire Terriers being abandoned or given up and Cornwall is no exception. They are victims of a fashion for the breed among young men in particular, and a misguided perception that it is possible to make money from breeding them.
The NAWT has many volunteer dog walkers to make sure their dogs get good exercise and a change of scenery. They also have an agility course to keep them entertained and engaged.
Fifteen years ago I took on a rescue dog from the RSPCA. Mono was an amazingly intelligent and loving Border Collie but, like many collies, also suffered from a few issues - most notably bells and ringing phones which led to the interior of more than one of my cars being a bit torn up unexpectedly.
That we are a nation of animal lovers is proved by the fact that there are so many vibrant charities like the NAWT out there doing this sort of work with so many volunteers willing to support them.
Saturday, 10 October 2009
Campaign day
We have been on a tough timetable this last 10 days. First we drove from london to Inverness, I ran a marathon, then Inverness to Manchester for four days at the party conference and then Manchester to Camborne on Thursday in time for the campaign day today.
There will be a General Election within the next seven months. We have a lot to do between now and Christmas. Today we had another 50 volunteers out campaigning - delivering leaflets in Camborne and preparing a major direct mail operation.
The issue of MPs expenses has also returned as an issue. The current sitting Lib Dem MP has launched a fresh attack on MPs from other parties from other parts of the country but she has still refused to adjust her own behaviour and has refused to curtail her use of public money on perks like extra food and promotional literature about herself. The debate is going to run and run.
There will be a General Election within the next seven months. We have a lot to do between now and Christmas. Today we had another 50 volunteers out campaigning - delivering leaflets in Camborne and preparing a major direct mail operation.
The issue of MPs expenses has also returned as an issue. The current sitting Lib Dem MP has launched a fresh attack on MPs from other parties from other parts of the country but she has still refused to adjust her own behaviour and has refused to curtail her use of public money on perks like extra food and promotional literature about herself. The debate is going to run and run.
Friday, 9 October 2009
The big speech
I have spent the last four days at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. There is an enthusiastic mood - but also a strong sense of caution and a focus on what is needed to win the election. Nothing is being taken for granted. The truth is that we go in to this election with fewer MPs than Michael Foot had in 1983 - and although there is now widespread disillusion with Gordon Brown, there is still a big task ahead.
I worked for David Cameron as his Press Secretary until the end of 2007. Party conference was always a demanding time. The diary would be a nightmare, there were so many media interviews to try to fit in and it was tough keeping things to time.
I supported David Cameron from the very start because I think he has the judgement and character to become a great Prime Minister. It is an important mark of a leader that they are able to rise to meet new challenges and David Cameron always has. His speech today was no exception.
I think what people saw today was someone who is ready to lead the country, not just the party. And there is no doubt that Britain needs change and leadership.
I worked for David Cameron as his Press Secretary until the end of 2007. Party conference was always a demanding time. The diary would be a nightmare, there were so many media interviews to try to fit in and it was tough keeping things to time.
I supported David Cameron from the very start because I think he has the judgement and character to become a great Prime Minister. It is an important mark of a leader that they are able to rise to meet new challenges and David Cameron always has. His speech today was no exception.
I think what people saw today was someone who is ready to lead the country, not just the party. And there is no doubt that Britain needs change and leadership.
Monday, 5 October 2009
The marathon
We set off on Thursday for Edinburgh to break the drive to Inverness in time for the marathon on Sunday.
It was a long drive with a lot of road works. But the scenery on the drive yesterday to Loch Ness was stunning.
I got up early at 6.30 today. I needed to get on the bus to be transported to the start line. There was a bit of a hitch with the buses - three didn't turn up, which meant the departure to the start was delayed by almost an hour and the start of the race was also delayed until 10.50.
I had hoped that the Loch Ness marathon would be fairly flat - and since much of it runs along the side of the Loch it seemed a reasonable hope. It started well, beautiful scenery and, if anything, a little bit down hill for the first 5 miles.
But six miles in I started to get a bad blister and the course was actually quite undulating. Everything was fine for the first half. I went through thirteen miles in just over an hour and a half and well on course for my target time of 3 hours 30 minutes.
But it got tough at 17 miles. There was a long haul uphill to Inverness once we left the banks of the Loch. Three miles in fact. So, at just the moment when I was starting to flag, I had to start climbing a three mile hill. Four miles in to the marathon I had overtaken a man in his 50's who was suffering. "He won't make it" I thought. But amazingly he came past me on this hill - still sounding like he was suffering. That will teach me!
But I managed to keep things on course and, although the second half was obviously slower than the first half, I crossed the finishing line in 3 hours twenty nine minutes and 34 seconds. It was a reasonable time but I don't think I will be in a hurry to do another!
It was a long drive with a lot of road works. But the scenery on the drive yesterday to Loch Ness was stunning.
I got up early at 6.30 today. I needed to get on the bus to be transported to the start line. There was a bit of a hitch with the buses - three didn't turn up, which meant the departure to the start was delayed by almost an hour and the start of the race was also delayed until 10.50.
I had hoped that the Loch Ness marathon would be fairly flat - and since much of it runs along the side of the Loch it seemed a reasonable hope. It started well, beautiful scenery and, if anything, a little bit down hill for the first 5 miles.
But six miles in I started to get a bad blister and the course was actually quite undulating. Everything was fine for the first half. I went through thirteen miles in just over an hour and a half and well on course for my target time of 3 hours 30 minutes.
But it got tough at 17 miles. There was a long haul uphill to Inverness once we left the banks of the Loch. Three miles in fact. So, at just the moment when I was starting to flag, I had to start climbing a three mile hill. Four miles in to the marathon I had overtaken a man in his 50's who was suffering. "He won't make it" I thought. But amazingly he came past me on this hill - still sounding like he was suffering. That will teach me!
But I managed to keep things on course and, although the second half was obviously slower than the first half, I crossed the finishing line in 3 hours twenty nine minutes and 34 seconds. It was a reasonable time but I don't think I will be in a hurry to do another!
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Delivering the message
It has been a weekend of walking. Last Saturday we had another campaign day to prepare the next major direct mail operation and to deliver our latest piece of literature – a newspaper. We managed to make a big impact in the first week, especially in Hayle, but there is more to do.
On Thursday I spent time in St Day, on Friday I joined the team in Stithians and the surrounding hamlets where we made very good progress before making a start in Mount Hawke in the afternoon. I finished today by joining the Illogan campaign team and helping them make inroads into Pool.
It left me enough time to pop in to Camborne town square to meet Sue Winter and the other volunteers from the Trevu campaign. They have worked tirelessly to keep the children’s centre going and were collecting signatures today.
I have been closely following this case. Last November, the previous Lib Dem council decided to shut down the centre at Trevu without any consultation. Time is very tight, but the new administration at Cornwall Council has re-opened the decision and started a genuine consultation process. There has been a lot of media speculation about what might or might not happen. Conservative councillors have been working very hard on the case. In the next few weeks we will see whether they have managed to reverse the decision of the old regime at the 11th hour.
I have also been trying to keep up the training. It is now just three weeks until my marathon. Last Sunday I ran 18 miles which went surprisingly well and I managed to get around in 2 hours 25 minutes and felt that I could have done further. This week has not been so good. I have been suffering from a cold since Wednesday and when I tried to get another 16 miles under the belt on Thursday, the combination of a bad cold and the heat of an unusually fine day took its toll.
But tomorrow I have my first race - a dry run. A 10k race along the banks of the Thames back in Kew in aid of the local church. I am hoping the cold will have eased enough for me to get around in a half reasonable time. But we will see.
On Thursday I spent time in St Day, on Friday I joined the team in Stithians and the surrounding hamlets where we made very good progress before making a start in Mount Hawke in the afternoon. I finished today by joining the Illogan campaign team and helping them make inroads into Pool.
It left me enough time to pop in to Camborne town square to meet Sue Winter and the other volunteers from the Trevu campaign. They have worked tirelessly to keep the children’s centre going and were collecting signatures today.
I have been closely following this case. Last November, the previous Lib Dem council decided to shut down the centre at Trevu without any consultation. Time is very tight, but the new administration at Cornwall Council has re-opened the decision and started a genuine consultation process. There has been a lot of media speculation about what might or might not happen. Conservative councillors have been working very hard on the case. In the next few weeks we will see whether they have managed to reverse the decision of the old regime at the 11th hour.
I have also been trying to keep up the training. It is now just three weeks until my marathon. Last Sunday I ran 18 miles which went surprisingly well and I managed to get around in 2 hours 25 minutes and felt that I could have done further. This week has not been so good. I have been suffering from a cold since Wednesday and when I tried to get another 16 miles under the belt on Thursday, the combination of a bad cold and the heat of an unusually fine day took its toll.
But tomorrow I have my first race - a dry run. A 10k race along the banks of the Thames back in Kew in aid of the local church. I am hoping the cold will have eased enough for me to get around in a half reasonable time. But we will see.
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Devoran to Portreath...in the rain
The weather forecast was so bad for today that we had a call from John, our instructor at the HRCST, last night to say that there would be no sailing today. It was breezy enough yesterday. We made a start and got to grips with the basics but it was not really beginners weather!
So today I decided to get in a long run instead as part of my marathon training. There have been a lot of ups and downs to my training in the last few months. The local elections campaign limited the time that I had to train. In June I twisted my right ankle and then in August I twisted my left ankle for good measure.
But I have made steady progress. I am now in the middle of the hardest phase of my training - for the last four weeks I have been increasing the length of my longest runs. On Saturday I ran 16 miles. Today I needed to run 14 miles.
Bike Barn is a relatively new but successful business founded by Roger Knight and his wife at Cambrose near Portreath. They hire bikes but also put a lot of energy into promoting the mineral tramway cycle route that runs coast to coast from Portreath to Devoran, down near Mylor through some stunning scenery including the Bissoe valley nature reserve. It is relatively flat and runs for twelve miles in total.
When I visted Roger a month or two ago he was in the middle of preparations for a fundraising event that takes place this month to raise money for a project to make cycling more accessible to people with disabilities. It is a great idea and the mineral tramway is a fantastic route to run such a project from. David Cameron had signed a bottle of Whisky for me which I dropped down to him as an auction prize.
I also told him I would come back to run the full length of it when I was fit enough and today was the day. I was dropped off at Devoran. It seemed a long way there by car and there was heavy rain as I started - which continued throughout the whole run. But it helped keep me cool.
In the end I went all the way to Portreath and then the two miles extra back up to Bike Barn which made a total of 14.3 miles...in a time of 1 hour 56 minutes which was ok given the weather. But I need to do 18 miles this weekend which I am not looking forward to.
So today I decided to get in a long run instead as part of my marathon training. There have been a lot of ups and downs to my training in the last few months. The local elections campaign limited the time that I had to train. In June I twisted my right ankle and then in August I twisted my left ankle for good measure.
But I have made steady progress. I am now in the middle of the hardest phase of my training - for the last four weeks I have been increasing the length of my longest runs. On Saturday I ran 16 miles. Today I needed to run 14 miles.
Bike Barn is a relatively new but successful business founded by Roger Knight and his wife at Cambrose near Portreath. They hire bikes but also put a lot of energy into promoting the mineral tramway cycle route that runs coast to coast from Portreath to Devoran, down near Mylor through some stunning scenery including the Bissoe valley nature reserve. It is relatively flat and runs for twelve miles in total.
When I visted Roger a month or two ago he was in the middle of preparations for a fundraising event that takes place this month to raise money for a project to make cycling more accessible to people with disabilities. It is a great idea and the mineral tramway is a fantastic route to run such a project from. David Cameron had signed a bottle of Whisky for me which I dropped down to him as an auction prize.
I also told him I would come back to run the full length of it when I was fit enough and today was the day. I was dropped off at Devoran. It seemed a long way there by car and there was heavy rain as I started - which continued throughout the whole run. But it helped keep me cool.
In the end I went all the way to Portreath and then the two miles extra back up to Bike Barn which made a total of 14.3 miles...in a time of 1 hour 56 minutes which was ok given the weather. But I need to do 18 miles this weekend which I am not looking forward to.
Monday, 31 August 2009
Ready to set sail
Tomorrow I start the sailing course down on the Helford organised by the HRCST along with my girlfriend, Katy. I visited the charity a couple of weeks ago and said I wanted to return to run the course myself.
We are really looking forward to it. We have just got back from a few days break in North Wales near Snowdonia. While there we got in a bit of practice by trying our hand at wind surfing (in my case for the first time in over 20 years)on Lake Vyrnwy. A shaky start to say the least but I did make some progress, although I am not sure how much it will help me tomorrow!
It is also time to start planning the campaign for the next few months. We have had a busy time with the local elections and then the Camborne Town Council by -elections. It was great to see Stuart Odgers elected in Camborne South, he will make a fantastic councillor.
Realistically, we are now in the final 8 months before a General Election and the time will fly. We have made a strong start in the last 8 months but there is more to do. One of the things we need to do is work out what the main themes in the local campaign are likely to be. Cost of living? housing? social breakdown? economy? unemployment?
The issue of MPs expenses dominated the summer and has been getting less attention lately. But the local Lib Dem MP has just appointed a new Campaign Agent and he has apparently decided to re-ignite the issue and make attacks on other politician's expenses a central plank of her campaign. A curious decision given her own record.
We are really looking forward to it. We have just got back from a few days break in North Wales near Snowdonia. While there we got in a bit of practice by trying our hand at wind surfing (in my case for the first time in over 20 years)on Lake Vyrnwy. A shaky start to say the least but I did make some progress, although I am not sure how much it will help me tomorrow!
It is also time to start planning the campaign for the next few months. We have had a busy time with the local elections and then the Camborne Town Council by -elections. It was great to see Stuart Odgers elected in Camborne South, he will make a fantastic councillor.
Realistically, we are now in the final 8 months before a General Election and the time will fly. We have made a strong start in the last 8 months but there is more to do. One of the things we need to do is work out what the main themes in the local campaign are likely to be. Cost of living? housing? social breakdown? economy? unemployment?
The issue of MPs expenses dominated the summer and has been getting less attention lately. But the local Lib Dem MP has just appointed a new Campaign Agent and he has apparently decided to re-ignite the issue and make attacks on other politician's expenses a central plank of her campaign. A curious decision given her own record.
Saturday, 15 August 2009
Camborne Town Council
Last night I went along to the boat party for Camborne Town Council. It was organised by the Mayor, Bill Jenkin, but it was a real cross party affair with many of the councillors present from all parties and others who have been involved in helping their work. There was a bit of drizzle but not enough to dampen spirits and we finished the evening by watching the fantastic fire work display to mark the end of Falmouth Week.
We have by-elections in Camborne next Thursday for the Town Council. Two Lib Dem councillors who were unsuccessful at the Council elections in June have now chucked the towel in and walked away from their responsibilities to the town causing costly by-elections. But it also provides an opportunity to get some fresh blood on the Town Council with fresh ideas. We have two great candidates in Stuart Odgers and Vince Young who both have deep roots in Camborne and have a love and commitment to the town. I have been helping them both this week and they are getting a good reception.
With the row over MP's expenses, it is easy for people to forget that town and parish councillors are not paid and receive no expenses. They give up their time for free and the reason they do it is for the town they care about. That counts for something and the candidates in this election, whatever party they are standing for, deserve a bit of respect for putting themselves forward.
We have by-elections in Camborne next Thursday for the Town Council. Two Lib Dem councillors who were unsuccessful at the Council elections in June have now chucked the towel in and walked away from their responsibilities to the town causing costly by-elections. But it also provides an opportunity to get some fresh blood on the Town Council with fresh ideas. We have two great candidates in Stuart Odgers and Vince Young who both have deep roots in Camborne and have a love and commitment to the town. I have been helping them both this week and they are getting a good reception.
With the row over MP's expenses, it is easy for people to forget that town and parish councillors are not paid and receive no expenses. They give up their time for free and the reason they do it is for the town they care about. That counts for something and the candidates in this election, whatever party they are standing for, deserve a bit of respect for putting themselves forward.
Friday, 14 August 2009
Waste not, want not....
I was running a little late for my visit to the SOFA project off Dudnance Lane at Pool. Before leaving I snatched a look at their website and, from the photos, worked out that they were in one of the old units opposite the bridge that heads up to Piece near the leisure centre. Better get going. But on arrival it was clear they had moved so it was time to roam around some of the other units nearby until I found the right place.
The SOFA project is a charity that tries to kill two birds with one stone. They recycle bulky furniture and white goods to reduce the amount of waste we chuck into landfill and at the same time give furniture to people who are in need and trying to set up a new home. Daphne is the Chair of the charity and David is the manager. They are both fizzing with ideas when I meet them. They have recently relocated to a new unit that gives them much more space and far better facilities.
SOFA is a charity but also has a commercial arm to their operation. There is evidence that they have reduced the amount of bulky waste going to landfill where they have been used by up to 37 percent and they help 500 families a year to set up home.
We need more of this sort of solution but it requires some imagination. You need people who know what they are looking for to run the waste disposal operations of the council so that goods which have a value to someone else are recognised and salvaged in time.
The SOFA project is a charity that tries to kill two birds with one stone. They recycle bulky furniture and white goods to reduce the amount of waste we chuck into landfill and at the same time give furniture to people who are in need and trying to set up a new home. Daphne is the Chair of the charity and David is the manager. They are both fizzing with ideas when I meet them. They have recently relocated to a new unit that gives them much more space and far better facilities.
SOFA is a charity but also has a commercial arm to their operation. There is evidence that they have reduced the amount of bulky waste going to landfill where they have been used by up to 37 percent and they help 500 families a year to set up home.
We need more of this sort of solution but it requires some imagination. You need people who know what they are looking for to run the waste disposal operations of the council so that goods which have a value to someone else are recognised and salvaged in time.
Tuesday, 4 August 2009
Gaining confidence through sailing
John Green founded the Helford River Childrens Sailing Trust about ten years ago and could never have imagined how successful it would become.
I met John a few months ago and he told me about the work of this ground breaking charity which aims to build individual confidence in children by teaching them to sail on the Helford. There are now around 15 local primary schools involved and around 350 children a year go through training there. In total, the charity has benefited some 3500 children and the heartening thing is that some of the 150 or so volunteers helping now went through the programme themselves in the early years and so know the benefits and are doing their bit to put something back.
I met Alison Collins, the current director of the charity, at the Ferryboat Inn near Mawnan Smith. I wasn't sure whether we were going out on the river today or not so must have looked hopelessly ill-prepared to her when we first met! But I had boots and a jacket in the car and was soon ship shape and ready to jump in the boat to go out to see their training work.
They aim to have two volunteers for every six children in training. Today I met Sarah, Adrian, John and Lee who were supporting Ailsa, the head coach, who works on the scheme four days a week during the summer months. You could tell that there was a great chemistry between Ailsa and the children she was teaching to sail.
The significant thing about this project is that is focuses on developing the individual confidence of children and a lot of effort is made to make sure that the charity reaches children from disadvantaged backgrounds and that they are given the opportunity to take part. They never ever charge for their lessons.
The children are given their own boat and must make their own decisions. Early learners are required to sail a boat from the south bank of the Helford to the north bank on their own, keeping concentration and making their own decisions. If they get it wrong, they fall in the water. There is no one else in the boat to help them (although volunteers are nearby to advise and to help those who fall in).
I think developing individual confidence in children is vital. Sometimes people can over emphasise "team work" as an attribute in working life. It is, of course, important. But the truth is that individual ability and the confidence to exercise judgement is more important and it is best learnt young.
I never learnt to sail, despite being brought up in Cornwall. But I am told they have a course for adults in September so might just give it a go.
I met John a few months ago and he told me about the work of this ground breaking charity which aims to build individual confidence in children by teaching them to sail on the Helford. There are now around 15 local primary schools involved and around 350 children a year go through training there. In total, the charity has benefited some 3500 children and the heartening thing is that some of the 150 or so volunteers helping now went through the programme themselves in the early years and so know the benefits and are doing their bit to put something back.
I met Alison Collins, the current director of the charity, at the Ferryboat Inn near Mawnan Smith. I wasn't sure whether we were going out on the river today or not so must have looked hopelessly ill-prepared to her when we first met! But I had boots and a jacket in the car and was soon ship shape and ready to jump in the boat to go out to see their training work.
They aim to have two volunteers for every six children in training. Today I met Sarah, Adrian, John and Lee who were supporting Ailsa, the head coach, who works on the scheme four days a week during the summer months. You could tell that there was a great chemistry between Ailsa and the children she was teaching to sail.
The significant thing about this project is that is focuses on developing the individual confidence of children and a lot of effort is made to make sure that the charity reaches children from disadvantaged backgrounds and that they are given the opportunity to take part. They never ever charge for their lessons.
The children are given their own boat and must make their own decisions. Early learners are required to sail a boat from the south bank of the Helford to the north bank on their own, keeping concentration and making their own decisions. If they get it wrong, they fall in the water. There is no one else in the boat to help them (although volunteers are nearby to advise and to help those who fall in).
I think developing individual confidence in children is vital. Sometimes people can over emphasise "team work" as an attribute in working life. It is, of course, important. But the truth is that individual ability and the confidence to exercise judgement is more important and it is best learnt young.
I never learnt to sail, despite being brought up in Cornwall. But I am told they have a course for adults in September so might just give it a go.
Monday, 3 August 2009
Carnival time
Last night was Hayle Carnival. It has been a few years since I last attended. When I was younger we used to lend the farm lorry to be used in a “cowboys and indians” themed float which was organised every year by John Eddy and always went along to watch.
Although the weather has been unsettled in recent days, this year it stayed fine for the carnival. I knew quite a few of the local farmers driving the tractors that pulled the floats. Martin and Andrew Richards and Chris Eddy had all been called on to do their bit.
Probably the most energetic (and certainly the noisiest) float was the Hayle Rugby Club team who wore green and black wigs and danced to loud music - stopping at every pub to make an impact. Not far behind were the Hayle Samba team. There were a lot of entries. Several scout groups, many other community groups and charities and my old friends at Praze YFC who dressed up as nurses and pushed a giant cot through town in aid of the Precious Lives Appeal.
It is the time of year for outdoor events and this weekend there have been a lot of other celebrations. I enjoyed a cream tea at Penponds yesterday and today have spent the afternoon at the Redruth Fun Day in Victoria Park and later on at Portreath Harbour for their own celebrations. But at Portreath there was some concern that one of the lads taking part in a greasy pole competition had been banged on the head and had to be taken to hospital.
Although the weather has been unsettled in recent days, this year it stayed fine for the carnival. I knew quite a few of the local farmers driving the tractors that pulled the floats. Martin and Andrew Richards and Chris Eddy had all been called on to do their bit.
Probably the most energetic (and certainly the noisiest) float was the Hayle Rugby Club team who wore green and black wigs and danced to loud music - stopping at every pub to make an impact. Not far behind were the Hayle Samba team. There were a lot of entries. Several scout groups, many other community groups and charities and my old friends at Praze YFC who dressed up as nurses and pushed a giant cot through town in aid of the Precious Lives Appeal.
It is the time of year for outdoor events and this weekend there have been a lot of other celebrations. I enjoyed a cream tea at Penponds yesterday and today have spent the afternoon at the Redruth Fun Day in Victoria Park and later on at Portreath Harbour for their own celebrations. But at Portreath there was some concern that one of the lads taking part in a greasy pole competition had been banged on the head and had to be taken to hospital.
Saturday, 1 August 2009
Trevu Road
The sleeper service is by far the best way to travel to Cornwall, but I generally try to get a good night's sleep the following night to make up for the tiredness from travelling.
But tonight that's not going to happen. My brother Giles needs help calving a cow at 12.30 am. It is all a bit difficult and complicated but ends well with a healthy South Devon calf born shortly before 2am. I have been out of farming for the best part of ten years now, but don't think I did too bad considering that!
Today is also the launch day for the new Camborne market. It has been organised by Ivor from CPR Regerneration and he has done really well. There are numerous stalls ranging from fresh fish to sweets, crafts, T shirts and jams. I bought some sweets and some outstanding pink grapefruit marmalade from a local producer who grows much of her own fruit.
I then move on to do some canvassing around Mount Pleasant Road with Stuart Odgers, our candidate for the Town Council by election in Camborne South. We have a lot of by elections on the Town Councils this summer as Lib Dem councillors defeated in June retire from politics altogether. Stuart is the perfect candidate for this area. He has lived in Camborne all his life, has been a governor of the local primary school and is very well known and a good listener. But the election date is set for the 20 August and getting people out to vote will be the challenge.
While there we bump in to Sue Winter, who has been running a very successful campaign to keep the children's centre at Trevu Road open. I met Sue and some of her colleagues last week to discuss the issues around the children's centre and it was good to have an update.
Late last year, under the old Lib Dem administration, the County Council took a decision to close the children's centre at Trevu Road without adequate consultation. It is clear that the decision needs to be revisited and some common sense injected. Dave Biggs, the Conservative councillor for Camborne West, has been on the case and organised a meeting with Kevin Lavery last week where assurances were given that no rash decisions would be taken.
The old grammar school on Trevu Road is a beautiful building and the sort of place that should be kept as a community resource in my view. A consultation is promised and I think it is very important that such a consultation is genuine and looks at all options that would enable the children's centre and other facilities to continue to be offered from the existing building. The terms of reference of any consultation must be correctly drawn.
Just time to do another run...in the rain again - before heading to the Camborne RFC barbecue held here at Trevaskis. The weather has been awful but the club enjoyed the night out and we had put up some cover just in case. The team are getting geared up ready for the next season. Their first friendly match is in about three weeks time and the season starts again properly in little more than a month. Doesn't seem long since the end if season party at the Lowenac...
But tonight that's not going to happen. My brother Giles needs help calving a cow at 12.30 am. It is all a bit difficult and complicated but ends well with a healthy South Devon calf born shortly before 2am. I have been out of farming for the best part of ten years now, but don't think I did too bad considering that!
Today is also the launch day for the new Camborne market. It has been organised by Ivor from CPR Regerneration and he has done really well. There are numerous stalls ranging from fresh fish to sweets, crafts, T shirts and jams. I bought some sweets and some outstanding pink grapefruit marmalade from a local producer who grows much of her own fruit.
I then move on to do some canvassing around Mount Pleasant Road with Stuart Odgers, our candidate for the Town Council by election in Camborne South. We have a lot of by elections on the Town Councils this summer as Lib Dem councillors defeated in June retire from politics altogether. Stuart is the perfect candidate for this area. He has lived in Camborne all his life, has been a governor of the local primary school and is very well known and a good listener. But the election date is set for the 20 August and getting people out to vote will be the challenge.
While there we bump in to Sue Winter, who has been running a very successful campaign to keep the children's centre at Trevu Road open. I met Sue and some of her colleagues last week to discuss the issues around the children's centre and it was good to have an update.
Late last year, under the old Lib Dem administration, the County Council took a decision to close the children's centre at Trevu Road without adequate consultation. It is clear that the decision needs to be revisited and some common sense injected. Dave Biggs, the Conservative councillor for Camborne West, has been on the case and organised a meeting with Kevin Lavery last week where assurances were given that no rash decisions would be taken.
The old grammar school on Trevu Road is a beautiful building and the sort of place that should be kept as a community resource in my view. A consultation is promised and I think it is very important that such a consultation is genuine and looks at all options that would enable the children's centre and other facilities to continue to be offered from the existing building. The terms of reference of any consultation must be correctly drawn.
Just time to do another run...in the rain again - before heading to the Camborne RFC barbecue held here at Trevaskis. The weather has been awful but the club enjoyed the night out and we had put up some cover just in case. The team are getting geared up ready for the next season. Their first friendly match is in about three weeks time and the season starts again properly in little more than a month. Doesn't seem long since the end if season party at the Lowenac...
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