Being quiet is the best option

 

 

A couple of things happened today that made me raise an eyebrow.  It seemed to me that they were connected and I therefore came to a conclusion. Later in the day I found that there was absolutely no significance in the coincidence. Too often, or so it seems to me, we attempt to look for significance in random coincidence with curious outcomes! In our sound-bite world this seems to be becoming a regular occurrence. The worry is that things are then said in error which can be hugely damaging.

As we rocket toward 2015 the war of words has already started as our political leaders attempt to score points over those opposing them. We all tend to only loosely listen to what is being said which inevitably links coincidental events to which we attach unwarranted significance. In a world crowded with social media it is so easy to hear bits of a conversation rather than the whole thing and judgements are then made without the luxury of firm knowledge. That judgement can launch damaging comment and once the words are out there attempting to pull them back is almost impossible!

All I am saying really is that once the political rhetoric heats up we must listen with care and keep the spiteful comments at arm’s length. To be quite honest if you don’t have something nice to say about someone then being quiet is probably the best option. If you do have a criticism to make then at least ensure that it is understood and balanced.

I don’t know whether you have stumbled across J K Rowling’s new book ‘A Casual Vacancy’ which is very different from the often dark Harry Potter stories. It was for me a fascinating read because it captured the essence of a community and demonstrated how words can skew a point of view. It doesn’t take much for negative comment to grow into something quite harmful. As the politicians both local and national seek election those social divisions can become very complicated with quite often unintended consequences.

One activity that I have always felt an excellent platform for social cohesion is the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and recently the 500^th Gold presentation ceremony took place in London.  There is an increasing need, in my opinion, to encourage young people not in full time education to use the DofE to develop skills to provide a life platform that will both build their skill portfolio and also help bind a community together. Please ask your local councillors what they are doing to support the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award amongst those not in full time education or part of a youth organisation.

Talking of community cohesion I was really pleased to see so many people pitch up to the Oldway Mansion open afternoon the other Saturday. The tour of this crumbling building was actually quite exciting because we got to see parts that have never been open to the public. I gather from the developer that nothing much is going to happen for at least a year and that given the poor state of the fabric the whole project is going to be very challenging. Torbay Council, in these cash strapped times, must be really pleased that this money bucket is off their hands. At least I think that it is off their hands.

The weather this summer has been fantastic and the sunshine continued into September. That warm weather was good news for one young couple who decided to hold their wedding reception at the Red Rocks Beach Café on Goodrington seafront. Always a worry when you are that close to the water because if the wind comes blasting in from the sea accompanied by lashing icy rain then the whole event can become a washout. But their evening went well and the Red Rocks Beach Café throbbed with an eight-piece band hammering out toe tapping music.

It is very easy to say negative things about our tourism offering and yet there really is so much to do. For anyone wandering along Goodrington seafront and Young’s Park that evening it must have seemed quite atmospheric. I loved it and can still feel the tingle today.

In a little while the clocks change and the sun continues to head south. Thankfully this year we have all be buoyed by some lovely weather which has made the English Riviera sparkle. The thing is that the sunshine days kind of seep deeply into the spirit and allow you to almost radiate through the short winter days.

I guess that is one way to keep the smile!

 

 

Don't take the NHS for granted

My words in the Herald Express 3rd October 2013



IF you happen to be reading your Herald Express over a Thursday morning cup of coffee, then spare a thought for me because I will be waiting to undergo a minor surgical procedure at Teignmouth Hospital. I don't live in Teignmouth, but that is where South Devon Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has sent me. So while you are tucking into a second piece of buttered toast I will be flicking through the pages of the Last Train from Liguria by Christine Dwyer Hickey while waiting for my surgeon to do his thing. All part of that rich tapestry of daily life of course, or so we believe.

The National Health Service is the most wonderful thing and was coincidently launched one month after my birth in 1948. Not that I have had too many occasions which have required immediate medical attention, but the fact I have always known access to a physician has been freely available is a precious thing.

It therefore worries me when I see huge cracks appearing over the surface and the exhausted looks on the faces of those holding together the frontline services. That has to be a concern for all of us.
I don't know whether you watched the London Olympic opening ceremony last year, but if you did then you must have been impressed by Danny Boyle's breath-taking pageant charting the history of these Sceptred Isles. He paid a stunning tribute to the National Health Service by underpinning the fact universal healthcare is indeed a core value in our society. Although a core value we should never, ever take for granted. These are curious times and we must all pay attention when various changes occur which might threaten that freedom of access to medical care.

We all need to pay careful attention to the words spoken by our political leaders as too often casual comments suddenly become policy. Keep the things which we take for granted very much in mind because local councillors will now be looking carefully at the funding cuts which threaten many of the services that all expect. It will be the discretionary spending which will too often quietly disappear.
One local service under threat is funded school transport and comments from struggling parents of children at St Cuthbert Mayne in Torquay made me raise an eyebrow. It wasn't just the words, but the wide-eyed facial expressions as the impact of additional outgoing on an already beleaguered family budget hit home. My children have grown now, but during their  school years we did benefit from subsidised school transport which, of course, allowed a parental choice as to where our young were schooled. Of course, many might argue if you want choice you should pay for it and while for many that is of course possible, for others it is not.

Sadly with these often very subtle funding cuts it is the most vulnerable groups in society who tend to feel the pain first. If we really want to be a caring community we really must look out for each other in these troubled times and not simply say it's not my problem.

What follows may be seen as a ray of sunshine perhaps.

If you take the time to struggle through my fortnightly contribution you will know the apparent development at Oldway Mansion has made me question progress. On Saturday from 2pm until 4pm there is an open event at Oldway to update the community about progress to date and the anticipated start date, which apparently is later this year, for the resurrection of the mansion as a premier hotel. How exciting. In the words of Paul Hawthorne, chairman of the Friends of Oldway: "We have worked consistently on getting a fair and viable solution for the Oldway Estate over the last four years. Our initial reservations have been addressed, and I believe we are indeed on the way to achieving a future for the house and gardens which our members and the wider circle of people of Torbay can be happy with."

That view is echoed by head of Akkeron regeneration, Mark Jones, who said: "We are pleased to be working towards starting work on the hotel. We are looking forward to the open day on October 5, to show everyone interested in the project the history and current condition of the buildings along with plans."

I have always loved Oldway Mansion with its beautiful gardens, bowling greens and tennis courts. It really is my hope the outcome will be for the greater good of the community and encourage you to visit the open event to gain a better understanding of what is happening.

Keep the smile.

Boost your career with Channel hop



BUENOS Dias! What a sparkling way to start the day and the echo somehow captures the magic of a sunny atmospheric Barcelona, which coincidentally happens to be the home town of my Spanish visitor.

Law student Valenti Sabate is with me for a month and our time together started with a thrilling conversation about Spanish writer Carlos Zafon's book 'Shadow of the Wind'.
Also with me is Matthias Feuerstein from Germany and therefore English is our common language.
I have to say these young folk from Spain and Germany plus the many others who visit bring a special energy to the English Riviera. Of course, the hundreds who make the trip also boost the economy!

Many local employers offer work placements and benefit hugely from the expertise they bring.
It has always made me a little curious as to why our young folk don't seem to head in the other direction for work experience since the placements are funded in the same way.

On Friday morning at a Cockington Court breakfast event hosted by the Torbay Development Agency, I bumped into Nadine Stroud from the Training Partnership Torquay who tells me it is indeed difficult to get our young folk to hop across the Channel.

Then Nadine told me of something I thought very exciting and wanted to share it with you.
It seems there are 20 fully-funded, 10-week work placements being offered to graduates in the south west to boost their career, gain vital European work experience and develop language skills.
Please don't let a lack of language knowledge put you off because there is a three-week preparation course in Torquay.

All you need is a very basic knowledge of French or German. How good is that? Give Nadine a ring on 01803 321210. Placements are on offer in Lyon and Bordeaux in France, and Magdeburg and Leipzig in Germany. There are also other funded opportunities for those who have not gone to university.

It seems to me sometimes we all need to step outside our comfort zone for a little while.
Let's start to make the world a smaller place.

Still thinking about the next generation you may have recently attended one of the many roadshows touring South Devon promoting the new South Devon University Technical College which is scheduled to open in 2015/16.

If you did then you will doubtless share my enthusiasm for this exciting development.
The SDUTC will be the area's first university technical college and is going to offer a whole new way of learning for up to 600 young people aged 14 to 18.

It will be built in Newton Abbot and recruit from across the region including Teignbridge, Torbay, Exeter, Plymouth and the South Hams.

The academy school will have a unique focus in engineering, water and the environment, reflecting both the natural environment in Devon and the needs of employers in these industries where there is a lack of technicians available.

It is interesting to note that locally, apprenticeship numbers in science, engineering and manufacturing are half the regional average and nationally the technician deficit is estimated to reach 450,000 by 2020!

That has to be a worry. It seems to me this exciting development is a very good thing indeed, especially so when I chat with work experience people from Germany where a greater emphasis is placed on vocational education to meet the needs of industry.

Now I have some homework for you.

Roman governors in ancient times used to symbolically wash their hands when they wished to disengage from a thorny topic. It seems to me that habit is popping up again in our Big Society and that worries me. The handing back of quite often essential services to the community is all very well if we have a structure to ensure those most in need don't slip through the gaps.
I worry that all too often the structure simply isn't there but once the service has been handed over it will take time to see whether the baby has gone out with the bath water.

As you know, if you read my words from time to time, I keep banging on about community engagement and part of that is making contact with your local councillors. This need is increasingly important it seems to me. So here are a few questions you might want to ask them.

The first one which springs to mind is about the redevelopment of Oldway Mansion. When will the new hotel open? I will not mention the 12 closed tennis courts. Oops.

The second is about community engagement at the exciting Parkfield Centre with its huge BMX track, climbing wall, skate park, sports hall and other goodies which should by now should be captivating Torbay. Have they, the councillors, engaged?

Finally, rather than overloading you, can you please get an update on the Torquay seafront balloon debt and the future of that weed-covered plot from our political leaders?

Keep the smile!

Brave decision to vote against Government

My words in the Herald Express 5th September 2013

The South Devon Energy Centre

One of the problems, or so it seems to me, of our modern age is that things can seem so close at hand while being so far away.

The news of events that happen far away once took months to reach us but today streaming images allow us to share the picture, though not the adrenaline rush, of actually being there.

I don't know whether you watched the Syria Debate on the BBC Parliament Channel, but I did. I've never been to Syria although its history has always interested me for many reasons not least of which is that it is the meeting place of the three great Abrahamic traditions.

A few years ago that interest was heightened by acting as a business mentor for a lovely man who imported floating soap from Aleppo in Northern Syria. From Alan I gathered huge amounts of current information about this intriguing country and its diverse population.

Two of our local MPs didn't vote with the Government and I listened to their balanced arguments. It was brave of Sarah Wollaston and Anne Marie Morris to stand against the PM on this issue. Adrian Sanders was in South Africa and couldn't return for the vote.

Whatever the eventual outcome of this conflict, what is happening is a great sadness and, as always, it tends to be the innocent who get hit the hardest. Of course in the minds of many will be the dreadful consequences of Iraq and Afghanistan.

It is not my place to offer an opinion on Syria and I have no right really to do so here. What I do want to say is that it is the duty of all of us to be aware of what is happening at home and away. It is all too easy to let the streaming images pass before our eyes as a sort of fiction. Perhaps we see it as something that doesn't really concern us or as something that we would rather not acknowledge.

Both Sarah Wollaston and Anne Marie Morris said that they had listened to the voice of their constituents and voted accordingly. Too often those we elect follow the party whips and vote as requested by political leaders. That has its place, of course, otherwise things would move very slowly. But there are times of conscience and common sense, or so it seems to me.

Tell me, do you make your views known to members of parliament and local councillors? When the time comes to vote do you join the queue and select the person that you want to represent your community locally and nationally? Hmm.

Meanwhile here in South Devon the shadows lengthen and the sun heads south after a simply wonderful summer. After six successive soggy summers this has been a real tonic. The boost to the local economy has been huge and many beleaguered tourists businesses have been buoyed at last by wall to wall sunshine. I live not too far from the beach in Paignton and listening to the laughter from the crowded seashore has been a tonic. Although I am writing this wearing a pair of old board shorts I am aware that winter is just around the corner.

I don't know about you but I am battered on a daily basis, or so it seems, by telephone calls offering me cheap energy prices, free boilers, cavity insulation, loft insulation, solar panels, energy assessments and goodness knows what else. It's mind blowing, confusing and potentially very expensive when you find that what you thought you were getting didn't turn out to quite what was expected as many folk have found when they have attempted to sell a house that had free solar panels fitted. You can, therefore, imagine my joy when I went to visit the new South West Energy Centre which has opened just off the Brixham Road near South Devon College.

I spent a morning looking around this wonderful £5.6 million development with Paddy McNevin.
Paddy is the man at the sharp end and featured in last week's Herald Express business section. I've known Paddy for a number of years and his intriguing soft Irish accent always warms my spirit. I was completely captivated by the new South West Energy Centre and really think that it is a stunning community asset.

Now the nice thing, for me and I suspect for you, is that the SWEC staff are not selling a product or pushing a contract into your unwilling hands. Their mission is to make us all more aware of what we can do to be energy smart. As Paddy says "It's about behaviour change and making people think about the energy they use. Little things like not filling the kettle when you only want one small cup of coffee." Almost everything about the SWEC underlines that simple message. So before you sign up to anything to do with energy and fuel go and see these folk and be educated! That way your eventual decision will be a balanced one.

One feature of the SWEC that really captivated me was the wonderful little Passivhaus. What is a Passivhaus? Well I think that you need to visit and see for yourself but as a taste I can tell you that Paddy says "Passivhaus buildings achieve a 75 per cent reduction in space heating requirements compared to standard construction for new UK buildings." That is amazing.

While drifting around the building something else came up in conversation that bothered me. That worry was a passing comment about more and more people falling into fuel poverty. Terms like fuel poverty slip all too easily from the tongue and can mask huge social problems.

Sitting here on a warm late summer morning the cold winter days seem so far away. But then I suddenly remember the horror of my gas bill arriving after a particularly cold period last winter.

That's made me shiver.

Keep the smile!

Keep Smiling And Make A Difference

My words in the Herald Express 22nd August 2013




COUNCILLOR Alison Hernandez posted a quote on Facebook the other day which simply said "You can make a difference!"
I know that Alison believes this to be an essential truth and it is certainly something that lights my fire.
We live in busy and confusing times with so much going on that too often seems to leave us breathless.
One consequence of that breathlessness is the feeling that nothing that we say or do will make any difference but that is simply not true.
Paulo Coelho (author of The Alchemist) said recently: "Someday everything will make perfect sense. So, for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason."
It was the 'laugh at the confusion' bit that caught my attention because usually the last thing that you want to do is laugh or smile.
But here is something to think about. I have always been a little cynical about some of the antics of the social movers and shakers.
It seems to me that when confusion becomes the norm it too often appears to be a way of protecting the guilty while leaving the innocent bewildered!
By rolling over and saying that you simply can't make a difference you allow those not working for the greater good to flourish and that can't be right.
I've been wearing a bright yellow polo shirt recently with the words PAIGNTON REGATTA printed on the back.
There are numerous other folk wearing the same style of polo shirt and they all have one thing in common.
The common link is giving up time to make the annual Paignton Regatta a success. It's a community thing and happens because folk feel that they can make a difference.
My contribution is organising the Round the Pier Swim, which is a fun event.
Charles Easterbrook started the pier swim and handed it over to me three or four years ago.
It made me smile when I noticed his son Roger, on holiday from London, race into the ocean last week wearing a pair of baggy shorts!
Guy Henderson's wife Lorraine handed out foil blankets to shivering swimmers although she did say how disappointed she was that Mankini Man didn't show this year having been photographed previously wrapping him in silver!
Councillor Dave Thomas dished out free hot chocolate to all after the swim, rounding off a quite special fun time.
It's not just about the yellow shirted committee members though.
Every year the 6th Torbay Britannia Sea Scouts provide safety cover on the water. That is no easy task since they have to pull together at least two powerboats and numerous kayaks.
Local lifeguards and first aiders from the Redcliffe Hotel also pitch up to help. This is truly a community working together and underlines Alison's observation that we all can make a difference!
So many community activities require continual stimulation otherwise they tend to become sluggish and ultimately cease to function.
A recent Twitter posting, or tweet if you like, made me smile. It came from Parliamentary hopeful Kevin Foster and was about a lively Peter Larkin sermon at Saint Matthias in Torquay.
At the time I had just listened to an equally captivating and well-argued sermon from Guy de Gaynesford at the Sacred Heart in Paignton.
That caused me to reflect upon the nature of the church as a gathering place binding a community together.
The famous Tony Blair comment about not doing god rather reduced, in my opinion, that rich tapestry of art and literature. The book by philosopher Alain de Botton 'Religion for Atheists' is worth reading because it offers a completely secular view of something that might be all too easily lost in these turbulent times.
"Where's he going with this?" you might ask, if you have read this far! My point is that for a community to function for the good of all we must accept that we can all make a difference.
The uniqueness of life is amazing and acknowledging the colourful fabric that potentially binds us all together is stunning.
But you need to engage and to bring your uniqueness to the table rather than simply sitting back and saying 'what can I do?'.
One starting point might be seeking out the positive rather than bleating about the negative. Look for good things to say rather than the spiteful.
My day starts with a meditation and even when feeling battered by 'stuff' I still attempt to produce a positive platform in my mind.
Sometimes that is hard work but the fact that my spirit feels low is not a reason for allowing the negative to dominate!
Seek out what matters and hang on to the things that will bring all sections of our community together. It is worth the effort.
Keep the smile.

A Future Without Hope Is Dangerous

My stuff in the Herald Express 8th August 2013

Being tagged as NEET is not neat. Not neat at all. But what is a NEET? A NEET is a young person who is not in employment, education or training and the fact the numbers are growing is a huge worry for our society.
The thing is that if our young folk are not in some meaningful employment, full-time education or training then what ARE they doing all day?
The number of NEETS in the south west has increased by 61per cent during the past 10 years and the estimate is that more than 84,000 young people fall into this category — 84,000 young people in the south west.
I don't know about you but I find that really shocking.
So what are they doing all day if they are not in employment, education or training?
If you don't know the answer then perhaps it is time to find out before this social problem gets out of control.
A future without hope is a dangerous condition emotionally.
Of course, the numbers will fall as the post-16 landscape changes.
From this summer, our young folk will be required to continue in education or training to the end of the academic year in which they turn 17.
Then after the summer 2015, they will be required to stay until their 18th birthday.
Of course, they do not have to remain at school although full-time education in an educational institution is an option.
The other two options is an apprenticeship or part-time accredited learning if they are in full-time employment or volunteering.
The question is does that solve a problem or simply push the problem to a later date?
The old saying about taking a horse to water comes to mind as does the concept of wilful blindness.
Ultimately it will be about the provision of jobs and that, in my opinion, is about a re-balancing of the economic landscape with a more equitable sharing of wealth. Hmm.
Still keeping the NEET situation in mind, by a curious twist of location I found myself on a sunny afternoon wandering around the refurbished Torre Abbey with Gordon Oliver, Mayor of Torbay, and Steve Parrock, CEO of the Torbay Development Agency and now also Torbay's chief executive officer, as 'tour guides'.
They did an excellent job and I was completely captivated by what has been achieved.
Torre Abbey has now been re-opened to the public and I really would recommend you spend a day wandering around the abbey plus the stunning gardens.
Of course, the 'tour guide' bit was a little extra because my meeting with Gordon Oliver was very much about our young people and, in particular, the future use of the Parkfield Centre on Paignton seafront plus the development of the Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE is the new brand name) for those outside the school / college world.
I guess, therefore, in many cases this will be about the NEETS and finding a way of making a better road for them.
Gordon Oliver and Steve Parrock seemed very supportive and that rounded off a quite atmospheric afternoon.
Thinking about Torre Abbey and the magical way in which the refurbishment has captured the rich history of Torbay, it made me reflect upon the many wonderful assets that we too often take for granted.
There are so many things that we too often fail to notice and yet are simply captivating.
We have beautiful woodlands, stunning gardens, endless beaches, splendid harbours, ancient houses, atmospheric coastal walks, deep caves and so many other wonderful attractions.
To say that there is nothing to do in Torbay is simply not true.
Why not start with a visit to Torre Abbey and take a walk through history?
Pause for a while in the gardens and touch the walls which once supported the abbey church hundreds of years ago.
Take yourself to the deepest part of prehistoric Kents Cavern and place your hand on the cave wall which was once touched by our cave-dwelling ancestors.
Why not simply take a walk in a part of Torbay you've never been to before?
This is our community, these are our towns and this is our time.
Let's share it and celebrate.
Keep the smile.

Let's Celebrate The Positive!

My stuff in the Herald Express 25th July 2013

 

Within our local community we all have a duty, in my opinion, to contribute personal energy. Let us celebrate the positive rather than the negative and not to be knocked down by nasty spiteful comments. Oddly enough the recent fine weather has brought a smile to many weary faces who thought that hot summer days locally were simply a distortion of ancient memory! When we look back the sunny days do tend to dominate.

 

As I start to write I suddenly noticed that my mobile device has less than 3% power left and the power source in another place. The summer sun has yet to climb over the distant horizon and yet the day is already very warm making me feel a little like my mobile device waiting for energy boost to kick in. Every two weeks, usually in the early morning light, I gather an eclectic mix of local happenings to shape what I want to share on this platform.

 

That made me reflect upon the energy levels within our community and what we have that provides the much needed power boost to drive us all forward. The phrase "What floats my boat" comes immediately to mind because it is so much easier to travel with the things that bring us joy rather than the things that, like a Harry Potter Dementor, suck at the very spirit mercilessly.

 

You would have to been in an isolated place for the past six or seven years not to notice that for the majority of us these have become difficult and very challenging times. I say for the majority because there are quite a few who cruise on regardless not challenged by the fiscal twists and turns that have reduced the energy levels of so many. I've spoken before about the words of the Lakota Indian philosopher Joseph Marshall and his simple yet energising message that we must all keep on going. But what keeps us going when the gradient is painfully steep?

 

Years ago my doctor decided on a new course of medication for me. I queried why I would want to take them. His answer was that they might make me live longer. Of course I questioned why that mattered to which he said that it would help my natural curiosity as to what comes next! That is a truth for all of us and is a reason for keeping energy levels high by greeting each day with enthusiasm. That is hard to do at times but attempting to keep a smile when you really don’t want to is a good starting point!

 

Three things brought a smile to my craggy face recently. On a sunny Saturday morning recently I found Paignton’s family friendly beach packed with rowing gigs from all over the South West. Hundreds of people watched enthusiastic teams rowing close to the beach under the banner of Paignton Gig Regatta. Torbay was at its sparkling best that day with a clear blue sky and wall to wall hot sunshine. Paignton Rowing Club appears to be attracting increasing numbers of folk on the water and it is an absolute joy to see so many local young people participating. There has been much talk recently about the Olympic Legacy and it has to be said that it is very much alive and kicking at Paignton Rowing Club.

 

Other refreshing experiences included a visit to the Robert Owen Communities team based on Steamer Quay Road in Totnes. ROC is a unique organisation doing some wonderful work. In their own words say “ROC exists to help as many people as possible, throughout the UK, who have learning or similar disabilities to be who they want to be. ROC believes all people with a learning disability should have the chance and the support to be able to do what they want to do. ROC will work towards making this happen. ROC will do this by valuing and supporting all people who use our services, and those who support them.” For me the phrase ‘To be able to do what they want to do’ is such an important message for all of us.

Sometimes things happen that really do inspire and recently I was asked to present certificates at the annual presentation for the learning opportunities students at South Devon College. They had all worked so hard to achieve awards and to see so many also getting DofE Awards (Duke of Edinburgh’s) had me smiling for days. Wonderful achievements and the celebrations were really inspirational. I was certainly inspired!

It is all too easy these days to look at what isn’t going too well and decide that the whole world is in much the same state. But it isn’t! By all means point out constructively things that seem not to be for the greater good but we must constantly seek the exciting and innovative work being done quietly by so many locally.

Keep the smile.