Catastrophe

Flying back from Baku this morning, it would entirely normal for me to guffaw outloud at some comical film that I was watching (last example was Ghost Town), listening on my headset, and then look around embarassingly to see if anyone had noticed.

What isn't so common, is a gasp of horror and incredulity as I read one of the most ridiculous stories in the Telegraph. Apparently Birmingham City Council is no longer going to use apostrophes in its street names, as they are confusing, and difficult to understand.

As the leader in the Telegraph writes, what "a defeatist position to adopt".

May I therefore ask, that if you, like I, are protectionist towards the beauty and history of the English language, and would like to see it preserved instead of butchered by local government, please go to the Daily Telegraph's website and sign its online petition: www.telegraph.co.uk/debates.

A pair of old clogs

That's my mother-in-law and great-great-great-grandfather - terms of endearment of course :-)

Just a quick post about them as my in-laws are staying the weekend, and my mother-in-law (about whom I seem to blog regularly), has brought with her an interesting print-out of the history of clogs. And that is because the last time that she was here, I found out that my great-great-great-grandfather was a clogger.

That's about it really. A bit of education in which I learned that

(a) clogs are not uniquely Dutch;
(b) in Lancashiare (and my family are from St. Helens and Wigan) cottom mill workers habitually wore clogs because of the wet floors; and
(c) the French name for a wooden shoe or clog is sabot... from which the word sabotage is derived, reportedly describing how disgruntled workers damaged workplace machines by tossing their shoes into the mechanisms.

Just wanted to share.

Shadowcatch

Earlier this afternoon, Rach, Caleb and I visited the launch of Shadowcatch, a six day event at the West Street Potters' premises at the Farnham Pottery. Julia Quigley, the driving force behind the event, has procurred funding from the lottery, and collaboration with the University of the Creative Arts (our country's newest university!), in order to boost the potential of educational activity at the pottery.

It was lovely to be part of an event such as this at the pottery: it continues to be exciting to see more and more community developed there. Obviously, we have an interest in it as our business is there, but, a key reason for us starting our coffee shop was because we wanted to provide Wrecclesham with a place to meet, and talk, and make friends, and feel at home. Anything that continues to help that aspiration is welcome.

More for More House

If any of you keenly scan the planning applications I post every Wednesday, you'll have seen one for new therapy rooms at More House School.

Since becoming a councillor some 15 months ago, I've been aware that the school is in the ward, but I've not visited it or crossed paths with any of the staff. So, when I saw the application, I took the opportunity to visit the school, and speak to the Headteacher, Barry Huggett, which I did this morning.

What a great place. The provision for the 340 pupils is fantastic - every kind of learning opportunity one could imagine - ceramcis, music, drama, sport, woodwork, design, photography - so much that is hands-on and vocational, as much as traditionally academic.

As the school prospective outlines, More House "has particular success with boys who have specific learning difficulties/dyslexia, or some associated language-based problem." And hence the application for extended space for therapy rooms, where pupils can receive the attention they need, in the right facilities.

I'm so glad I visited today. You can learn much more at their website, and see the planning application online, or summarised in my Wednesday post this week.

50 and going strong

What a wonderful day it has been at the Weydon School 50th Anniversary celebrations and reunion. Beautiful weather, a lovely atmosphere, and very joyful to see so many old friends meeting up, and the present pupils providing music, parking attendance, and general guidance. Here's to 50 more years.

Showtime

A quick post about Mariana, who studies at the University of the Creative Arts in Farnham, and lives in Wrecclesham. A final year student, she's currently finishing her culminating animation, drawing hundreds of frames a week, and still managing to squeeze in some hours at our coffee shop on a Saturday.

Anyway, thought I'd say that you can see her showreel on youtube, and if you want to meet her, she's next at the coffee shop on Saturday 26th April.