The Barnet Eye Advent Calendar has only a few days left to run. We hope you've enjoyed a few of the clips we've posted showing just what a different world the Borough is today, to how it was in the early and middle part of the last century. Todays clip is one I found extremely interesting. It is a Pathe News clip of the Finchley Carnival Baby show in 1961 (the year before I was born), to raise money for the Imperial Cancer Research fund.
There is a statement in the film, where the commentator says "In this day and age, we spend millions on missiles and hold flag days for Cancer". What have we learned in the 60 years since the film was made? Well now we spend billions on missiles, but we still hold flag days for cancer, so I guess we my must conclude that we've learned absolutely F... all.
I suppose the good news is that many forms of cancer are treatable (as I am pleased to have personally experienced). This is due in part to the flag days and baby shows we've held for the last 60 years to raise money for Cancer Research.As someone living with Cancer, I wholeheartedly support these efforts. On a personal note, today I learned that my cousin's wife in Australia is starting chemo today, so this is tinged with a bit of a personal edge.
Please can I make a simple request. As Christmas approaches, why not buy one of your friends or family a present from a local Cancer research UK shop?
So if you were one of the bouncing babies at the1961 Finchley Carnival Baby show or even if you weren't, here's your local Cancer research shop, pop in and buy something. My greatest hope is that one day, cancer Research UK can shut all its shops and say "Job Done". One way or another this day will come all the sooner with
Mill Hill
37 The Broadway , Mill Hill, London
NW7 3DA
0208 9064628
Stanmore
24 The Broadway, Stanmore, Middlesex
HA7 4DW
0208 9540462
Finchley
69 Ballards Lane, Finchley, London
N3 1XT
So it is the last Sunday before Christmas. The Barnet Eye Advent Calendar has only a few days left to run. We hope you've enjoyed a few of the clips we've posted showing just what a different world the Borough is today, to how it was in the early and middle part of the last century. Todays clip is one I found extremely interesting. It is a Pathe News clip of the Finchley Carnival Baby show in 1961 (the year before I was born), to raise money for the Imperial Cancer Research fund.
There is a statement in the film, where the commentator says "In this day and age, we spend millions on missiles and hold flag days for Cancer". What have we learned in the 53 years since the film was made? Well now we spend billions on missiles, but we still hold flag days for cancer, so I guess we my must conclude that we've learned absolutely bugger all.
I suppose the good news is that many forms of cancer are treatable. This is due in part to the flag days and baby shows we've held for the last 53 years to raise money for Cancer Research.As someone living with Cancer, I wholeheartedly support these efforts. Please can I make a simple request. As Christmas approaches, why not buy one of your friends or family a present from a local Cancer research UK shop?
So if you were one of the bouncing babies at the1961 Finchley Carnival Baby show or even if you weren't, here's your local Cancer research shop, pop in and buy something. My greatest hope is that one day, cancer Research UK can shut all its shops and say "Job Done". One way or another this day will come all the sooner with
Mill Hill
37 The Broadway , Mill Hill, London
NW7 3DA
0208 9064628
Stanmore
24 The Broadway, Stanmore, Middlesex
HA7 4DW
0208 9540462
Finchley
69 Ballards Lane, Finchley, London
N3 1XT
Clare will post a full update on the marathon when she's awake and with it. She left home at 5pm last night and got back at 8am this morning, having completed the 26 mile course. She's now having a much needed sleep. We initially set a target of raising £200. With gift aid, so far we're up to £487.19 a truly fantastic total. Thanks to everyone who sponsored her. If you haven't but would like to, please click here
Whilst on the subject of charity appeals, I received the following Email. I'm always happy to help out good causes. Please help Charles if you can :-
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Roger,
The Friends of Highlands Gardens, in New Barnet near the Odeon, have applied for a grant from NatWest bank's Community Force fund to set up a tree trail, and we were wondering if you could mention us on your blog please? We only get the money if enough people vote for us, and we would like to let the people of Barnet know about it. All the details are at http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/1841 or http://goo.gl/N00iX
Highlands Gardens has some rather unusual trees which we think people would like to know more about. We have already prepared the artwork for plaques, and just need some funds to get them made into permanent signs. There's a sample for the Black Walnut on the NatWest web site.
I do understand that your blog is more about politics, but I thought it was worth asking.
There are many reasons I write a blog. Strange as it may seem, probably the most important one is to try and make the world a little bit better. I'm an advocate of the "Think global, act local" school of thought, which is why I generally concentrate my efforts on Barnet. I realised that it would be extremely hard for a blogger to have much impact on national issues, but it would be relatively easy to have a big impact on local issues. This blog is not about the issues we normally cover. It is about something, in many ways far more important. As I write this, there are families all over Barnet struggling to cope with the effects of cancer. One of these families is that of Councillor Lynne Hillan, until recently the leader of Barnet Council. She is one of many victims of cancer in Barnet. Whilst we may have views on peoples politics, I'd sincerely hope that everyone in Barnet thinks it's a tragedy when anyone has to retire due to illness.
Let me share with you the horrible role cancer has played in my life and why I am trying my hardest to promote the Shine London Nighttime Marathon being staged for Cancer Research UK
I first became aware of cancer when I was eight years old. At the time I was a successful child model. I'd been the star of several very well known TV adverts, including Heinz Beans, Cadburys chocolate, Galaxy Chocolate, Lucozade and Dream Topping. I think I'm the only Barnet blogger who has been photogrpahed by David Bailey. My career came to an abrupt halt when my mother was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 1970. When it was diagnosed, she was told that her chances of living more than 3 years were 5%. Fortunately, she did survive and made a complete recovery from a total gastrectomy. In 1984, her consultant, Phillip King, told her that she was the only person he was aware of who survived for more than 5 years after the procedure she underwent. It was a huge cloud over our lives in my formative years. When my father broke the news to us, it was the only time in my life I ever saw him cry. Sadly my mothers resilience in the face of the disease gave me a completely false belief that the disease could easily be triumphed.
Shortly after my mother recovered, a friend of my parents developed a similar condition. We were invited around to see him. He gave me a fantastic fishing rod and explained "I won't be needing this now, so you can have it". Six months later he was dead. My godmother succumbed to lung cancer shortly after. The lady who used to clean our house (who I always thought of as my de facto grandma), Mrs O'Keefe passed away, riddled with the disease. All of these before I left school. In my twenties, both of my mums brothers died of Cancer, within six months of each other. My best friend and the bass player in my band's dad developed lung cancer. He was lucky, he only lost his lung. His wife died of Lung cancer several years later. In 2001 my business partner at the studio, who was married with three children under 7 contracted pancreatic cancer. When he was first diagnosed he was 6'6" and 22 stone. Eight months later, he was 12 stone. He was still 6'6" if he stood on his left leg, but if he stood on his right leg, he was only 5'6" as it had been amputated below the knee. His eldest son has never really got over losing his dad. Three years ago my mother in law contracted lung cancer. She was told in January 2008 and died in March. In her final days, I went to see her. She was crying. She told me she'd had a dream that she was well and she was having a lovely time. She'd then woken up and realised she was not well at all, she was dying. It was a truly heartbreaking moment.
And here we are today. Please do something for me. Click on the play button, for this clip. Shut your eyes and listen to the tune and think (pray if that's your thing) of all your friends and family who you may have lost to Cancer. Then read on.
This piece of music was written by my great friend and former bassplayer in my band Paul Hircombe. Paul is a truly talented musician. He was planning to get married & sort himself out, having had a torrid time in the last few years. In April, he had just been offered a job and was about to start, when he was diagnosed with stomach cancer (as mentioned above his parents both had brushes with the disease). Paul is 46 and is currently undergoing his last bout of chemo. God willing, he will have the tumour removed, if it has shrunk sufficiently, in October. Paul has over the years helped me organise dozens of gigs for Cancer charities. We usually do an annual gig for MacMillan Cancer relief. We've even had Kate Nash on the bill (her mum Marie, who is a good friend of mine had a brush herself a few years back, fortunately she's OK).
So what do you do when something attacks your friends, family and loved ones? Well I believe in fighting back. That is why my good lady wife, Clare, has decided to do the Shine nightime walking marathon in aid of Cancer Research UK. I'd love to be the person who invented a cure for cancer, but I'm too thick. I'm not too thick to help raise cash for those that can. If you can spare anything at all, be it £1, £2, £5, £10, £20, £30 or £50 please donate something by clicking this link.
We are extremely lucky to live in an age where we have scientists who can develop vaccines and cures for diseases such as cancer. Whether they do it today, tomorrow or in a hundred years time, will largely be dictated by how much people such as you and I can raise. If we all give generously and do our best to raise funds, then the day a cure is found moves closer. This means less people will lose their mums, dads, sons, daughters and friends. You may or may not like me, you may or may not like my blog. What I am sure of is that you don't like the effects of Cancer. I urge you to sponsor this appeal as generously as you can.
Thanks to everyone who has helped out so far. With the gift aid top up, it stands at £347.99 as of now (Sat 24th Spetember at 7.30) - Our target is to get this up to £500 by next Saturday when Clare does the marathon. Please help.
A great write up for the Shine London Night Time marathon in London's leading listings website - The Londonist - (http://londonist.com/2011/09/shine-night-marathon-makes-london-debut.php). The Shine event is in aid of Cancer Research UK. This blog is supporting this event in every way it can. My good lady is participating, as detailed yesterday, in memory of the many friends and family we've lost to cancer. As technology progresses, we really do have the chance to end the suffering caused by this awful disease, for future generations. We can only do this by sticking our hands in our pockets and donating money. To demonstrate my commitment to the cause, I stated yesterday that unless we achieve a minimum of £200 sponsorship for Clare, this blog will cease on 2nd October. This is a cast iron promise, that will be that for me & Barnet blogging. I'm pleased to report that after only 1 day, we have already nearly reached the three quarters mark towards our target. The current total is £146 raised - you can save the blog by clicking this link and making a donation now - http://www.sponsormetoshine.org/claretichborne
we all know friends and family who have suffered because of this monstrous disease. This is the best way we can fight it. Clare says thank you to everyone who has sponsored her (and so do I).
On to a few other issues. Bumped into the chair of the board of governors of Etz Chaim School (new Jewish Free School in Mill Hill), Adam Dawson yesterday. Had a chat with Adam, who said how great it was to see the kids in the new school. He said that the building works had produced a really great environment for the children. Whatever anyone may think of the school, it's important that we keep it all in perspective. Interestingly the papers covering the assignment of the lease appeared on the Barnet Council website yesterday - http://committeepapers.barnet.gov.uk/democracy/reports/reportdetail.asp?ReportID=10634 - it mentions the "minimal financial risk" associated with the transfer. I also see that there has been a variation in the lease, to allow part of the building to operate as a "community cafe". It will be interesting to find out more about this. I believe that the Action Group, who oppose Etz Chaim are still investigating a possible legal challenge regarding the site. It would be good to hear the current status of this. The Action Group website is not really that helpful - http://www.actiongroupmillhill.com/index.php/current-situation - just to note, the current site for the school is the SS Barrosa building, next door to the ex Wyevale Garden Centre. The school plan to move into the Garden Centre site at the start of next year.
On the subject of Schools, Barnet Council today announced plans to turn the site of Mill Hill Sports Club into a new school - http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/9256796.Council_reveals_plans_to_turn_Mill_Hill_sports_club_into_school/ - I can absolutely guarantee that Councillor Andrew Harper is telling whoppers when he says he's working with local groups to help them find "new homes". The treatment of the club staff, members and wider community has been disgraceful. If Harper has been "planning this for sometime" why didn't he work with those groups "some time" ago to help them find a new home. I guarantee he's upset many local people, lots of whom used to be Tories. Anyway Councillor Harper, I'm on the Mill Hill Music Festival organising committee and I look forward to the invite to discuss our new site.
Around the other Barnet Blogs
Mr Mustard has found a stack of reports showing that Barnet Council is failing to perform, by it's own measures - http://lbbspending.blogspot.com/
Mrs Angry discusses the size of rivets on the Titanic & Councillor Rueben Thompstone's sense of humour (or lack of it when confronted by irate residents - http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.com/
And finally the Barnet Tory owned Barnet Bugle urged it's followers not to support this blog in its attempts to support Cancer Research UK - http://twitter.com/#!/barnetbugle/status/114420413920059392 - FYI the money isn't being "Given to me", it goes direct to Cancer Research UK. Anyway, I urge everyone to support the plethora of other good causes the Bugle Twittered today here - http://twitter.com/#!/barnetbugle - thanks for the publicity man.
On the subject of Twitter, we're introducing a new category, which will have it's own special post in future. This is the Barnet Tweet of the week. The winner this week is this -
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Anyone who knows what happened to Barnet Council finances under Mike Freer's Leadership will permit themselves a chortle. Can we now add "Balls'ite" to "Brownite" and "Stalinist"?
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And finally, as regular readers know, we like a Friday Joke. We already blogged this clip, but it is worth looking at again. This was from the Barnet Council meeting this week
For the last three years, I've given every spare waking hour to writing this blog for the people of Barnet. It is no lie to say it has driven my good lady, Mrs T (for the sake of clarity not Mrs T the blogger) completely bonkers. Now like me, she cares passionately about our community and the people in it. Unlike me, she shows this in ways that don't involve writing blogs about Barnet. She has decided to do a Sponsored night time walk for Cancer Research UK. She has set herself a modest target of £200 for this excellent cause. She is doing the walk in memory of the many friends and family who we have lost, or who have had their lives damaged through the effects of Cancer.
She has set up a sponsorship page, which you can donate through. This blog is 2,112 to be published here. I've asked for nothing in return, until now. Anyway, I've made a rash promise that if she doesn't get £200 sponsorship, by 1st October, I'll give up blogging and get a life again. So if you want to see the back of me, keep your wallet in your pocket. If you want the blog to continue, please donate a little to this great cause.
We get 30,000 hits a month on this blog from 13,000 unique visitors. If 10% of those think there is any value in this blog at all and donate a single £1, then that will raise £1,300 for Cancer Research. So please, please donate £1 if you think this blog is worth anything. It will also be a great way of showing people who are against what this blog stands for that there is massive support in Barnet for what we are saying.
If you are generous enough to give a little bit more, that would be fantastic, but every little bit will help.
I will be giving regular updates. It is not easy for Mrs T being the wife of a blogger, especially with three children, so please show a little appreciation for her patience in not divorcing me long ago.
