Like everyone who reads this, there are people, past and present, who I particularly admire. When opportunity allows, I try to read about their lives and thereby gain inspiration. Continue reading →

“Stephen Sutton (16 December 1994 – 14 May 2014) was a British blogger and charity activist known for his blog Stephen’s Story and his fundraising efforts for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity for the aid of teenagers with cancer. Continue reading →

Two days ago a friend of mine asked me to help him shoot off a few emails to various media news outlets because he wanted to respond to a report of racism ‘on the rise’ in UK with 1 in 3 people admitting prejudice with Continue reading →

In the past few days a furore has arisen, if the comments of some of my Facebook friends are anything to go by. As far as I can make out, there is a feeling that this “nasty, reactionary, self appointed arbiter of taste”, Michael Gove, our present Education minister, has banned “To Kill a Mockingbird”, Continue reading →

So the results of the European elections are now in. While I (and many others) expected UKIP to do well, I did not expect them to do that well. Continue reading →

When I wrote part 1, I said there will a part 2 – when the European election results are declared on Sunday. Continue reading →

I want to use this post and the one to follow (when the European votes are counted on Sunday) to reflect on an eventful past 24 hours. Continue reading →

Tomorrow is the big day when we get to vote in Local and European elections. I have already devoted three posts mainly to this subject and this, the fourth and last, is where I get to tie up some loose ends. Continue reading →

As some readers will know, my radio station of choice is Radio 4, and has been so ever since I can remember. One of my favourite programs, and has been for many a year, is “Desert Island Discs”. Continue reading →

Many years ago I heard a sermon in which the preacher passed on some advice his mother had given him: “Before you propose to speak, always ask yourself, is it true, is it necessary, is it kind?” Continue reading →