The responses received from the SLDC to the three questions put to them a week ago, are all totally inadequate and make an individual wonder "why bother talking to the council at all".
Unless a Councillor takes up an issue on an individual's part then the council will fob questions off with answers that often avoid the issue or are meaningless.
Persuading a Councillor to think about something, that they didn't think of themselves first, is a major problem.
As they are not for the most part proactive, looking for problems that need solutions.
Reason fails to penetrate their thinking. In my experience the sight of ten or more voters is the main thing that makes them jump.
Tuesday, 29 September 2009
Monday, 28 September 2009
Pottery event in Lightburn Park a huge success
People arrived at 1.30 Saturday 25th September for an hour and left three hours later.
In all about 70 people took part.
It was great for me to meet all the children, teenagers, women and men, making pottery items for the railings.
Thanks to the hard work of several people, I don't yet know them by name, doing a variety of jobs, we had a great time . Especially John McCarthur who helped set the equipment up, helped everyone with making their pots and again with taking it all down and packing it away in my car.
I was bowled over by the response and had a wonderful time.
100 items were made and are now laid out on the drying racks of my pottery studio. Holes have been added to each item so that they can be fastened, to the railings in the park, easily.
Great creativity and enjoyment was displayed in making a wide range of items. Just think these items were just a heap of mud on Saturday morning!
23 people left their details and a one pound membership as interested in forming a Lightburn Park Group to promote the use of the Park.
£45 was contributed to membership and the cost of the clay and its firing - this will go a long way to covering the cost of the two firings that will be necessary
We used Terra Cotta Clay with added iron oxide (rust) for decoration as has been done in Gill Banks. This will be fired when completely dry at the high temperature of 1180 deg. C which will mean that the pots are weatherproof.
Here Geoff works with just some of the pots, adding holes to enable them to be screwed in place. Click on the image to get an enlaged version.
In order to avoid cracking of the clay, the drying needs to be slow. This will mean that the pots will be fired and ready for putting up in Lightburn Park on October 19th.
This will be a great time to decide how the pots are arranged and displayed and won't be difficult now that we have sussed out how to attach pots to the railings easily.
More details about this in a fortnight here.
In the future, Tony Taylor who was unable to be present will no doubt be in touch to you all to discuss the next steps for our Lightburn Park Group both regarding events but equally important the improvements to the park. Here it is very important to have an official group that can attract grants for improvements to the park.
It was good to be visited by the SLDC Councillor for the Park area , Norman Bishop-Rowe and the community police officers. The big improvements to the Children's Play area by the Council engineer Peter Clark over the past ten days and the need for further on the park around the Skateboarding ramps were pointed out.
Comments received:
From Libby Norton:
Thank you for a fantastic afternoon in the park, you and John did a great job organising the event.
My daughter Edie and I had a lovely time making our fish and sunflowers. We can't wait for the next workshop and have lots of ideas for new creations. I had lots of fun helping others after Edie got bored and went off to play on the swings, she is only 3 after all. I have attached some photographs of Edie and myself getting messy.
We look forward to seeing you and our creations again soon,
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for your hard work on saturday, I know the girls and I enjoyed ourselves. I love the fact that these things go on in our locale. It all helps to make the community and create some fun. We are looking forward to the finished products.
See you soon.
Zoe
Thanks for this - it was a great afternoon for all of us!
Geoff (and John)
In all about 70 people took part.
It was great for me to meet all the children, teenagers, women and men, making pottery items for the railings.
Thanks to the hard work of several people, I don't yet know them by name, doing a variety of jobs, we had a great time . Especially John McCarthur who helped set the equipment up, helped everyone with making their pots and again with taking it all down and packing it away in my car.
I was bowled over by the response and had a wonderful time.
100 items were made and are now laid out on the drying racks of my pottery studio. Holes have been added to each item so that they can be fastened, to the railings in the park, easily.
Great creativity and enjoyment was displayed in making a wide range of items. Just think these items were just a heap of mud on Saturday morning!
23 people left their details and a one pound membership as interested in forming a Lightburn Park Group to promote the use of the Park.
£45 was contributed to membership and the cost of the clay and its firing - this will go a long way to covering the cost of the two firings that will be necessary
We used Terra Cotta Clay with added iron oxide (rust) for decoration as has been done in Gill Banks. This will be fired when completely dry at the high temperature of 1180 deg. C which will mean that the pots are weatherproof.
Here Geoff works with just some of the pots, adding holes to enable them to be screwed in place. Click on the image to get an enlaged version. In order to avoid cracking of the clay, the drying needs to be slow. This will mean that the pots will be fired and ready for putting up in Lightburn Park on October 19th.
This will be a great time to decide how the pots are arranged and displayed and won't be difficult now that we have sussed out how to attach pots to the railings easily.
More details about this in a fortnight here.
In the future, Tony Taylor who was unable to be present will no doubt be in touch to you all to discuss the next steps for our Lightburn Park Group both regarding events but equally important the improvements to the park. Here it is very important to have an official group that can attract grants for improvements to the park.
It was good to be visited by the SLDC Councillor for the Park area , Norman Bishop-Rowe and the community police officers. The big improvements to the Children's Play area by the Council engineer Peter Clark over the past ten days and the need for further on the park around the Skateboarding ramps were pointed out.
Comments received:
From Libby Norton:
Thank you for a fantastic afternoon in the park, you and John did a great job organising the event.
My daughter Edie and I had a lovely time making our fish and sunflowers. We can't wait for the next workshop and have lots of ideas for new creations. I had lots of fun helping others after Edie got bored and went off to play on the swings, she is only 3 after all. I have attached some photographs of Edie and myself getting messy.
We look forward to seeing you and our creations again soon,
Hi Geoff,
Thanks for your hard work on saturday, I know the girls and I enjoyed ourselves. I love the fact that these things go on in our locale. It all helps to make the community and create some fun. We are looking forward to the finished products.
See you soon.
Zoe
Thanks for this - it was a great afternoon for all of us!
Geoff (and John)
Friday, 25 September 2009
Here comes the sun
My video hits top spot for Ulverston Cumbria - for a while!
Good to be reminded what the sun looks like!
.
Good to be reminded what the sun looks like!
.
The need for a good web site
The town is loosing business all the time because we have such a jumble of sites to represent us on the Internet.
This represents a multimillion pound business when you take into account the shops, market stalls, eating and drinking places, transport and hire, and most important accommodation.
No one is taking this task seriously.
When I ran a successful tourist business at The Falls - holiday self catering with a unique food service - I spent one morning every week (ie 10% of my time) working at promoting myself by press releases and contact with travel writers in the National papers and advertising. I spent at least 5% of my total budget on advertising in addition to an impressive brochure and back up literature - previous press articles.
Result I was fully booked from the February bank holiday until the one in October. I then let the accomodation to longer local lets across the winter. Of course I offered top accommodation singled out by the AA for its excellence. Furthermore I offered a unique food service which provided all the food inside the holiday cottages which attracted a lot of interest. My bank, the Midland at the time, brought other bankers to the Falls to see how we did it! Other hoteliers came to find out our secrets.
Now compare this business approach with that being used to 'sell' the town to tourists and there is no comparison.
To test this out you need to imagine that you are a potential tourist going on the internet :
First of all you are looking for a town or location that would be interesting to stay at and then some accommodation that appeals.
Now here you have to actually go on line with a bit of imagination and actually take the trouble to see what it feels like.
You are from a foreign country with some English and a fair bit of cash because of the strength of you currency against the UK pound - you could even be Chinese or Japanese or nearer home, Scandinavian, French or German. You would like a market town with a bit of history in the South Lakes because you've heard that there aren't so many tourists around and the scenery is something special with not only Lakes , Mountains but the Sea as well. You also remember that there are some towns that have some really fun festivals that you would like to include - you can't remember much more.
Now try your search.
Do you get anywhere near finding Ulverston?
Try again if you like assuming that you've been told my someone that they visited Ulverston and enjoyed a festival there.
Now, how do you get on?
Can you think of a single Councillor that talks about this problem and is trying hard to promote Ulverston?
Now compare us with Grange over sands and how do we compare?
Are you surprised that our shops are empty?
How is this when we have so much to offer and the well heeled people loved returning to Ulverston, Year by Year. Some even got a bit of a reputation with local shopkeepers for their eccentric habits -plonking their walking shoes on the counter in order to do the laces up! Ordering Cumberland sausage by the 10 lbs to take back home with them. Buying unusual hardware from Smith and Harrison.
Those were the days - have they gone for ever?
This represents a multimillion pound business when you take into account the shops, market stalls, eating and drinking places, transport and hire, and most important accommodation.
No one is taking this task seriously.
When I ran a successful tourist business at The Falls - holiday self catering with a unique food service - I spent one morning every week (ie 10% of my time) working at promoting myself by press releases and contact with travel writers in the National papers and advertising. I spent at least 5% of my total budget on advertising in addition to an impressive brochure and back up literature - previous press articles.
Result I was fully booked from the February bank holiday until the one in October. I then let the accomodation to longer local lets across the winter. Of course I offered top accommodation singled out by the AA for its excellence. Furthermore I offered a unique food service which provided all the food inside the holiday cottages which attracted a lot of interest. My bank, the Midland at the time, brought other bankers to the Falls to see how we did it! Other hoteliers came to find out our secrets.
Now compare this business approach with that being used to 'sell' the town to tourists and there is no comparison.
To test this out you need to imagine that you are a potential tourist going on the internet :
First of all you are looking for a town or location that would be interesting to stay at and then some accommodation that appeals.
Now here you have to actually go on line with a bit of imagination and actually take the trouble to see what it feels like.
You are from a foreign country with some English and a fair bit of cash because of the strength of you currency against the UK pound - you could even be Chinese or Japanese or nearer home, Scandinavian, French or German. You would like a market town with a bit of history in the South Lakes because you've heard that there aren't so many tourists around and the scenery is something special with not only Lakes , Mountains but the Sea as well. You also remember that there are some towns that have some really fun festivals that you would like to include - you can't remember much more.
Now try your search.
Do you get anywhere near finding Ulverston?
Try again if you like assuming that you've been told my someone that they visited Ulverston and enjoyed a festival there.
Now, how do you get on?
Can you think of a single Councillor that talks about this problem and is trying hard to promote Ulverston?
Now compare us with Grange over sands and how do we compare?
Are you surprised that our shops are empty?
How is this when we have so much to offer and the well heeled people loved returning to Ulverston, Year by Year. Some even got a bit of a reputation with local shopkeepers for their eccentric habits -plonking their walking shoes on the counter in order to do the laces up! Ordering Cumberland sausage by the 10 lbs to take back home with them. Buying unusual hardware from Smith and Harrison.
Those were the days - have they gone for ever?
Concert in the Coro last night
WOW
The performance of De Falla was electrifying - with an amazing Spanish conductor too.
Absolutely memorable.
With visions of Firey Spanish Gypsy Women who will tear your eyes out if provoked!
By contrast the sad cold lonely lifeless . . . empty seats. . . .
.
The performance of De Falla was electrifying - with an amazing Spanish conductor too.
Absolutely memorable.
With visions of Firey Spanish Gypsy Women who will tear your eyes out if provoked!
By contrast the sad cold lonely lifeless . . . empty seats. . . .
.
Tesco
To clarify my position on Tesco being in Ulverston.
I welcome it being here.
I would have much prefered a different store such as Sainsbury or alternative use of the building but given the suddenness of the Woolworth vacancy it is an excellent choice of building and adds much to the Market Square.
I welcome it also because I hope that no one will shop there. The Coop is far to be preferred.
Let's hope that Tesco will get its fingers burnt and suffer a loss at this store and that local people will want to support all the alternative shops in Ulverston and avoid Tesco whenever they can.
Anyone that cares to look beneath the surface of what kind of organisation they have in their midst will feel the same. They are wolves dressed up in sheeps clothing see my links on Tesco
I welcome it being here.
I would have much prefered a different store such as Sainsbury or alternative use of the building but given the suddenness of the Woolworth vacancy it is an excellent choice of building and adds much to the Market Square.
I welcome it also because I hope that no one will shop there. The Coop is far to be preferred.
Let's hope that Tesco will get its fingers burnt and suffer a loss at this store and that local people will want to support all the alternative shops in Ulverston and avoid Tesco whenever they can.
Anyone that cares to look beneath the surface of what kind of organisation they have in their midst will feel the same. They are wolves dressed up in sheeps clothing see my links on Tesco
Thursday, 24 September 2009
Opinionated - me?
Why else do people think I run this blog.
I often take extreme positions in order to question the boundaries.
In a world that has very few reasoned opinions expressed there is a need to give it a little shake.
The word 'reasoned' is essential as to express an opinion without a reasoned support leads down the route to emotional chaos.
Similarly disagreement needs to go further than "What you say is total rubbish".
Let's hear why you think it's rubbish and then our discussion can progress.
I often take extreme positions in order to question the boundaries.
In a world that has very few reasoned opinions expressed there is a need to give it a little shake.
The word 'reasoned' is essential as to express an opinion without a reasoned support leads down the route to emotional chaos.
Similarly disagreement needs to go further than "What you say is total rubbish".
Let's hear why you think it's rubbish and then our discussion can progress.
Wednesday, 23 September 2009
Witch hunts again
Once again sniping media and misguided politicians are undermining our government.
I will be dismayed and saddened if Baroness Scotland resigns.
This story echoes what is found all across our British society : the wish to snipe and tear others to shreds over extremely trivial issues.
Can we have some positive reporting please?
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
Questions put to the full SLDC meeting at the Coro tonight
These three questions concern the importance to the town of tourism and the severe problems we experience with parking in our streets.
1. Stockbridge Lane car park
As an occasional Market Stall holder I have found that it is very important to the survival and success of our markets on Thursday and Saturday and to shopping in the town as a whole that as many people are encouraged to visit the town not only to shop but to enjoy our many activities throughout the year.
Many times in the summer all the car parks in the town except one are full to bursting with essential visitors. Stockbridge Lane Car Park is the exception. It is the nearest large car park to the Market Cross , capacity 88 cars, which is never full except at the Dickensian Festival when additional car parking is also needed at the Health Centre.
At other times the occupancy of this car park is never above 50% and often as low as 15% even in the height of the summer, as you will know from your takings at the meter.
Why is this car park so little used ? There is no sign at the Market Cross to indicate this car park exists. This needs to be rectified immediately .
Debbie Binch of the CCC approached Dave Conlin to appeal for a sign here on Monday January 12th with no result.
Secondly a better use of this car park would be for the business people to be offered this car park at a greatly reduced rate over the year this freeing up many of our streets close to town. In this way SLDC would receive far more money for its car park than at present.
SLDC would benefit as would the town.
Why can’t the Town Council to be given the responsibility over its own car parks? It would then be able to offer free parking on Market days as do towns like Hawick in Scotland if it decided that this made commercial sense.
The town is suffering from a lack of tourism; everything possible should be done to prevent this.
2. 27 Princess Street.
For some time now the Town has had to endure the sight of a burnt out house at 27 Princess St which is on the route taken by all tourists that arrive by train.
Far worse the neighbouring houses have had to endure the misuse of this house for over ten years and its lack of repair and broken windows. Repeated attempts by the residents and local councillors have failed to achieve a change. Only when there was a fire that threatened the safety of the residents adjacent did the council start to listen.
Could the Council assure the town that a resolution to this sad episode is at an end and that it will enforce a compulsory purchase of this property if present negotiations with the council and the present owner fail?
3. Web site for the town.
The towns shops and activities are a great source of benefit to the town's tourist trade and attractiveness. Why is it the the SLDC has never done a good job of designing an effective Ulverston website for this purpose.
The present Ulverston Online web site continues to come top of Google rankings yet it has very little information on it from a tourists viewpoint and many of the links don't work.
Jayne Kendall describes its purpose as being a portal and not a site specifically to promote Ulverston.
Yet the description of the site on Goolge is
“Ulverston Online
Lake District, Tourism and Ulverston information from Ulverston Online - the website of the festival town.”
Festival town? There is no information on this site about Ulverston’s festivals. A tourist would loose patience before discovering this on another site if they were lucky.
By contrast Newcastle recognised the importance of promoting itself to the world on the Internet five years ago and were in a position to reap the benefits of its hard promotional work with a surge in tourists when the pound weakened against many other of the worlds currencies.
Ulverston could have benefited in a similar way.
Though the Town Council have had a new web site designed, this is primarily to promote the views of the Councillors and its business; it is not specifically targeted to the tourist.
When will something be done to improve this situation by handing the responsibility and running of this site to an organisation that promotes tourism with flair throughout the Southern Lake District so that we all benefit from each other's strengths?
If the Council is not going to provide a good presentation of our town will it then remove this site from the prime slot on Google so that tourists do not get the impression that are town is a complete shambles. Private business can then be encouraged to take up the slack and become top slot on Google.
Response received Monday 28th September:
(clicking on the image will bring up an enlarged version)
1. Stockbridge Lane car park
As an occasional Market Stall holder I have found that it is very important to the survival and success of our markets on Thursday and Saturday and to shopping in the town as a whole that as many people are encouraged to visit the town not only to shop but to enjoy our many activities throughout the year.
Many times in the summer all the car parks in the town except one are full to bursting with essential visitors. Stockbridge Lane Car Park is the exception. It is the nearest large car park to the Market Cross , capacity 88 cars, which is never full except at the Dickensian Festival when additional car parking is also needed at the Health Centre.
At other times the occupancy of this car park is never above 50% and often as low as 15% even in the height of the summer, as you will know from your takings at the meter.
Why is this car park so little used ? There is no sign at the Market Cross to indicate this car park exists. This needs to be rectified immediately .
Debbie Binch of the CCC approached Dave Conlin to appeal for a sign here on Monday January 12th with no result.
Secondly a better use of this car park would be for the business people to be offered this car park at a greatly reduced rate over the year this freeing up many of our streets close to town. In this way SLDC would receive far more money for its car park than at present.
SLDC would benefit as would the town.
Why can’t the Town Council to be given the responsibility over its own car parks? It would then be able to offer free parking on Market days as do towns like Hawick in Scotland if it decided that this made commercial sense.
The town is suffering from a lack of tourism; everything possible should be done to prevent this.
2. 27 Princess Street.
For some time now the Town has had to endure the sight of a burnt out house at 27 Princess St which is on the route taken by all tourists that arrive by train.
Far worse the neighbouring houses have had to endure the misuse of this house for over ten years and its lack of repair and broken windows. Repeated attempts by the residents and local councillors have failed to achieve a change. Only when there was a fire that threatened the safety of the residents adjacent did the council start to listen.
Could the Council assure the town that a resolution to this sad episode is at an end and that it will enforce a compulsory purchase of this property if present negotiations with the council and the present owner fail?
3. Web site for the town.
The towns shops and activities are a great source of benefit to the town's tourist trade and attractiveness. Why is it the the SLDC has never done a good job of designing an effective Ulverston website for this purpose.
The present Ulverston Online web site continues to come top of Google rankings yet it has very little information on it from a tourists viewpoint and many of the links don't work.
Jayne Kendall describes its purpose as being a portal and not a site specifically to promote Ulverston.
Yet the description of the site on Goolge is
“Ulverston Online
Lake District, Tourism and Ulverston information from Ulverston Online - the website of the festival town.”
Festival town? There is no information on this site about Ulverston’s festivals. A tourist would loose patience before discovering this on another site if they were lucky.
By contrast Newcastle recognised the importance of promoting itself to the world on the Internet five years ago and were in a position to reap the benefits of its hard promotional work with a surge in tourists when the pound weakened against many other of the worlds currencies.
Ulverston could have benefited in a similar way.
Though the Town Council have had a new web site designed, this is primarily to promote the views of the Councillors and its business; it is not specifically targeted to the tourist.
When will something be done to improve this situation by handing the responsibility and running of this site to an organisation that promotes tourism with flair throughout the Southern Lake District so that we all benefit from each other's strengths?
If the Council is not going to provide a good presentation of our town will it then remove this site from the prime slot on Google so that tourists do not get the impression that are town is a complete shambles. Private business can then be encouraged to take up the slack and become top slot on Google.
Response received Monday 28th September:
(clicking on the image will bring up an enlarged version)
Friday, 18 September 2009
Yobos in Ulverston
You could argue that they are irresponsible young kids.
Far from it these are just little yobos.
There are bigger yobos and great big hairy - probably with a paunch - yobos.
I reckon that for the most part once a yobo always one. They grow up and have little yobo children who are uncared for and undisciplined. They will sit at their tele and drink beer while the kids are out creating havoc. These kids learn to take care of themselves by grouping with other yobos.
Some of the parents have in the past visited this blog and been permitted to make comments. Then when they are banned they eventually give up.
Many are to be found on the Nowhere chat group. Go there and you'll be educated into the kind of yobs we have in amongst us.
I visited them when they posted the thread "Dellow is a cunt" which still appears on some graffiti in town if you know where to look. They seemed surprised when I turned up as a poster on the thread and since then having ignored them, they ignore me!
Comments will still appear along the lines "I saw Dellow on the curb in town and only just resisted running him over."
For the most part the yobos here haven't a clue who I am but because their mates are having a dig they join in - Good for a laugh!
Whilst initially ignoring them, I'm changing my mind and feel that we have to go in and sort them out and make them more aware of what its like to be human and considerate of others.
These are the kind of people that are supporting the BNP and aggressive to any group that doesn't agree with them.
If our society is not to go totally downhill we have to deal with these kind of people and not ignore them.
How?
Dealing with bureaucracy - again
Does the following reponse that I've just received from the Cumbria County Council fill you with confidence?
"Our service standard for dealing with e-mails is as follows:
A response to the email will be given within 10 working days from the sent date that appears on the customers email. Where a detailed reply will take longer, the response will still be issued giving guidance on when the customer can expect the detailed response."
What kind of reply would you like to get?
Then a few seconds later:
And now this to every email I send to the info email address all with a different reference number ( the wonders of automatic email. My the fun one could have clogging up the system! One day the whole of local government will be run by robots - or people doing a good imitation.) :
"Dear Customer
Thank you for your enquiry. Your reference number is CAP/0112903.
The customer services team are dealing with your enquiry and will respond within 10 working days. If we are unable to respond to your request within this timescale we will inform you of this.
If you would like to speak with someone about your enquiry then please call 01228 606060 and ask for the customer services team. If your enquiry is urgent and outside the normal office hours of 8.45am - 5.15pm Mon - Fri. Please call 01228 526690.
Regards
Customer Services Team
"Our service standard for dealing with e-mails is as follows:
A response to the email will be given within 10 working days from the sent date that appears on the customers email. Where a detailed reply will take longer, the response will still be issued giving guidance on when the customer can expect the detailed response."
What kind of reply would you like to get?
Then a few seconds later:
And now this to every email I send to the info email address all with a different reference number ( the wonders of automatic email. My the fun one could have clogging up the system! One day the whole of local government will be run by robots - or people doing a good imitation.) :
"Dear Customer
Thank you for your enquiry. Your reference number is CAP/0112903.
The customer services team are dealing with your enquiry and will respond within 10 working days. If we are unable to respond to your request within this timescale we will inform you of this.
If you would like to speak with someone about your enquiry then please call 01228 606060 and ask for the customer services team. If your enquiry is urgent and outside the normal office hours of 8.45am - 5.15pm Mon - Fri. Please call 01228 526690.
Regards
Customer Services Team
Leaflet re Lighburn Park activities
A group of us who live across the road from the park and have been making pottery items for the railings at Gill Banks plan to do something similar on the railings surrounding the children’s play area. We’ve caught the pottery ‘bug’ and its fun . . . and not at all difficult - total beginners can do it! Geoff Dellow who helped do Gill Banks, is bringing his gear and supplies so that all we need is some ideas and hands – both children and adults!
At the same time we’ve been in touch with South Lakeland District Council. Their officials are also concerned to bring the park up to a high standard and welcome the involvement of local people. We are being invited to give our input into what the park could look like in the future. Our view is that rather than be dependent on overstretched council workers we plan to take on small tasks ourselves and coordinate these with more ambitious plans from the Council.
We are discussing the idea of forming an official group. In this way we become eligible for grants for items up to about £1000. By working together with all the users of the park both young and older we will have a voice with officialdom: councillors, officials and the police so that our views will be taken seriously.
So we’d like to discuss these ideas and the future possibilities with as many local people as possible. We can conveniently do this, at the pottery activity, with anyone that can drop in for a chat between 1 and 5 on Saturday 26th September.
We plan to erect a Market Stall in the park on this Saturday so whatever the weather we will have cover, though the present forecast is neither good nor bad! (Further details from Geoff Dellow - tel 480347)
Thursday, 17 September 2009
Progress in Lightburn Park
Contact with SLDC officials went really well yesterday.
They agreed that perhaps maintenance of the park had been neglected because of the wide range of responsibilities of the engineer responsible. Improvements are already in hand. Safety has always been the main concern but the presence of large puddles also needed dealing with.
The mindless behaviour of some teenagers that were hangers on to the Skateboarding Group led to much of the pottery that was put up yesterday in the childrens area being smashed.
Alternative areas are being tried out and action necessary to achieve an improvement in behaviour are being explored. It may be that for too long teenagers have done what they liked in the park without giving consideration to other younger children and the adults in the area.
The difference between Lightburn and the Gill is that there are very few adults around at Lightburn. By contrast there are far more adults than teenagers at Gill banks most of the time largely due to its popularity with walkers particularly those with a dog.
They agreed that perhaps maintenance of the park had been neglected because of the wide range of responsibilities of the engineer responsible. Improvements are already in hand. Safety has always been the main concern but the presence of large puddles also needed dealing with.
The mindless behaviour of some teenagers that were hangers on to the Skateboarding Group led to much of the pottery that was put up yesterday in the childrens area being smashed.
Alternative areas are being tried out and action necessary to achieve an improvement in behaviour are being explored. It may be that for too long teenagers have done what they liked in the park without giving consideration to other younger children and the adults in the area.
The difference between Lightburn and the Gill is that there are very few adults around at Lightburn. By contrast there are far more adults than teenagers at Gill banks most of the time largely due to its popularity with walkers particularly those with a dog.
Tuesday, 15 September 2009
Lightburn Park - great progress - talkwise
Tony Naylor of the SLDC Parks Department is to come to the park tomorrow to discuss the suggestions and involvement of Tony Taylor's Group.
He is being very helpful, sending us an impressive reply to our inquiries.
He is being very helpful, sending us an impressive reply to our inquiries.
Sunday, 13 September 2009
More great pottery workshops
Making pottery objects to go on the railings continues to attract whole families to come along to the Coach House in Union Lane every Saturday between 11 and 4. It's a great way of meeting people and everyone enjoys it.
The pottery kiln is at this moment firing with a full load of new work for Gill Banks and elsewhere. This will be up by Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Advance notice : We'll be at Lightburn Park in a fortnight ; the week end of 26th September see you there!
The pottery kiln is at this moment firing with a full load of new work for Gill Banks and elsewhere. This will be up by Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
Advance notice : We'll be at Lightburn Park in a fortnight ; the week end of 26th September see you there!
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Beware those pedaling drugs!
And I don't mean the down-the-street crook -
I mean your own doctor.
A friend of mine passed by on her way home from the 'Health Centre' - call it the drug centre perhaps. She came laden with six different drugs and had been told she was depressed on top of her other aches a pains - she seems to cope very well with a considerable amount of pain to me.
What concerned me was all the interactions and side effects of these six drugs . 720 different possible different interactions according to my basic maths (factorial 6). How does anyone understand all the possible side effects in this cocktail?
They don't, belief me (I'm a Doctor - Ph.D in Chemical Engineering you point out - well I'm still a Doctor!).
A fortnight later another friend comes round for lunch and is sitting at the table starting to eat, when he says
"It feels really hot in here"
Followed by
"I'm not feeling at all well"
Followed by - eyes going blank staring at the ceiling, and "glabof, gla gla" as he passes out and slumps downwards sitting upright but bum disappearing towards the floor. Frightening!
We lower him to the floor getting his chair out of the way. He lies with his muscles locked: shoulders on the floor but the rest of his body in the air except for his heels which are also on the floor. Eventually he relaxes and we get him flat with a pillow under his head.
Phone for advice.
"Call an ambulance" This is anathema to my friend so I pop over to the "Health Centre" and in spite of it being lunch hour get someone to give me advice.
"Call an Ambulance".
"Couldn't he come over here for when you're open?"
"We recommend you - "Call an Ambulance".
"If he comes over here at 2.00 might he be able to see his doctor."
"Yes he might"
This happens and one of his doctor's partners tells him that he's just fainted as a result of the side effect of two of the drugs he's recently been subscribed. The two drugs are known to occasionally lead to fainting when taken together.
I've also had an invitation for Seasonal Flu Immunisation,
"It is important that you are vaccinated against 'flu strains, . . . . "
" Flu Vaccines are very safe with few side effects"
"Few ?" And what are these "few" . . . . Rigor Mortis ?
Not on you Nelly.
Looking at the Department of Health website on this subject
"The annual flu immunisation is the best protection against flu for people with underlying health problems that put them at risk of complications from flu"
So what happens if you're a very healthy 74 year old ?
"and for all those aged 65 and over "
"Government policy is to recommend immunisation for people aged 65 years and over"
Sad.
I'm a guy that believes a "healthy about of 'flu" and exposure to infection keeps the body's own immune system in a fighting fit state and is the long term healthy option.
I also have to be given a very good reason to take drugs of any kind. The majority don't help other than do what my body can do only with the drugs this happens a little faster.
I mean your own doctor.
A friend of mine passed by on her way home from the 'Health Centre' - call it the drug centre perhaps. She came laden with six different drugs and had been told she was depressed on top of her other aches a pains - she seems to cope very well with a considerable amount of pain to me.
What concerned me was all the interactions and side effects of these six drugs . 720 different possible different interactions according to my basic maths (factorial 6). How does anyone understand all the possible side effects in this cocktail?
They don't, belief me (I'm a Doctor - Ph.D in Chemical Engineering you point out - well I'm still a Doctor!).
A fortnight later another friend comes round for lunch and is sitting at the table starting to eat, when he says
"It feels really hot in here"
Followed by
"I'm not feeling at all well"
Followed by - eyes going blank staring at the ceiling, and "glabof, gla gla" as he passes out and slumps downwards sitting upright but bum disappearing towards the floor. Frightening!
We lower him to the floor getting his chair out of the way. He lies with his muscles locked: shoulders on the floor but the rest of his body in the air except for his heels which are also on the floor. Eventually he relaxes and we get him flat with a pillow under his head.
Phone for advice.
"Call an ambulance" This is anathema to my friend so I pop over to the "Health Centre" and in spite of it being lunch hour get someone to give me advice.
"Call an Ambulance".
"Couldn't he come over here for when you're open?"
"We recommend you - "Call an Ambulance".
"If he comes over here at 2.00 might he be able to see his doctor."
"Yes he might"
This happens and one of his doctor's partners tells him that he's just fainted as a result of the side effect of two of the drugs he's recently been subscribed. The two drugs are known to occasionally lead to fainting when taken together.
I've also had an invitation for Seasonal Flu Immunisation,
"It is important that you are vaccinated against 'flu strains, . . . . "
" Flu Vaccines are very safe with few side effects"
"Few ?" And what are these "few" . . . . Rigor Mortis ?
Not on you Nelly.
Looking at the Department of Health website on this subject
"The annual flu immunisation is the best protection against flu for people with underlying health problems that put them at risk of complications from flu"
So what happens if you're a very healthy 74 year old ?
"and for all those aged 65 and over "
"Government policy is to recommend immunisation for people aged 65 years and over"
Sad.
I'm a guy that believes a "healthy about of 'flu" and exposure to infection keeps the body's own immune system in a fighting fit state and is the long term healthy option.
I also have to be given a very good reason to take drugs of any kind. The majority don't help other than do what my body can do only with the drugs this happens a little faster.
Thursday, 10 September 2009
Butterflies galore
I've never seen so many Red Admirals together than those now at Ford Park Orchard today - about twenty within a few yards.Someone tell me why?
Brilliant site for butterflies (where this photo came from).
Wednesday, 9 September 2009
Blog statistics
The number of unique visitors is holding at around 220 over the last month with about 80% being regulars though the 20% could be people returning after a month away.
.
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Tuesday, 8 September 2009
Brilliant Skate Boarding article
A visit to Paris
Some fantastic action shots in the article referred to on the top blog on the right.
Well worth a read and look.
10:10
What a great concept!
Can we get some local people, organisations, firms to adopt it?
10 percent cut in our present carbon footprint during 2010.
It's essential to man's existence on earth in the future that we do.
It is really more important than any other project we can conceive of .
After feeding ourselves and having a roof over our heads; nothing is more important.
Do you agree?
Are you now planning to cut back by/during 2010 ? Or is this an idea that we'll stick on the shelf for future consideration - when we have time?
What ideas have you come up with?
Monday, 7 September 2009
Weint - what a disappointment
Why do we need a curb on the left when current thinking for this kind of alleyway is to indicate a walking area but use no curb.
This was done successfully on the new design for the county square.
Secondly the kind of design of walkway, I'm referring to, is used here on the right but we have a completely new design of sett/paving block for Ulverston - not used anywhere else. Why can't we stick to a consistent design with what is elsewhere in the town eg why can't these blocks be identical to those used in the county square to indicate road crossings.
What we need is a good design team that vets all new work and repairs to old so that there is a consistency of design. Where possible flags should be placed with identical ones. And don't let anyone say that they haven't got matching flags and have to use alternatives like . . . . asphalt. The recent repair outside Smith and Harrison was done with a matching slab. The workers at the time stated that they had a stash of these matching slabs - so why did they ever use asphalt in the past.
When it come to looks, one gets the impression that in Ulverston that no one cares. What goes wrong? Has Jayne Kendall taken over areas of running the town that she has no business doing - that of anything to do with design. She has a very poor track record in this area and made a mess and interfered with the website design team doing the Ulverston web site (that is now defunct).
I'm trying to persuade James Airey our new county councillor to take on the role of custodian of a good fabric and design in the town.
I'm about to switch my attention to lamposts and the like to get them painted. All over town if you look carefully rust is appearing in the cracks of our blotchy messy lamp posts.
Where are the people who will stand up and protest?
Using a tin of red oxide metal primer paint on every bit of rust that can be found - should attract a bit of attention and highlight this issue.
Now we've got rid of Nick Raymond, lets set about getting things done well!
This was done successfully on the new design for the county square.
Secondly the kind of design of walkway, I'm referring to, is used here on the right but we have a completely new design of sett/paving block for Ulverston - not used anywhere else. Why can't we stick to a consistent design with what is elsewhere in the town eg why can't these blocks be identical to those used in the county square to indicate road crossings.
What we need is a good design team that vets all new work and repairs to old so that there is a consistency of design. Where possible flags should be placed with identical ones. And don't let anyone say that they haven't got matching flags and have to use alternatives like . . . . asphalt. The recent repair outside Smith and Harrison was done with a matching slab. The workers at the time stated that they had a stash of these matching slabs - so why did they ever use asphalt in the past.
When it come to looks, one gets the impression that in Ulverston that no one cares. What goes wrong? Has Jayne Kendall taken over areas of running the town that she has no business doing - that of anything to do with design. She has a very poor track record in this area and made a mess and interfered with the website design team doing the Ulverston web site (that is now defunct).
I'm trying to persuade James Airey our new county councillor to take on the role of custodian of a good fabric and design in the town.
I'm about to switch my attention to lamposts and the like to get them painted. All over town if you look carefully rust is appearing in the cracks of our blotchy messy lamp posts.
Where are the people who will stand up and protest?
Using a tin of red oxide metal primer paint on every bit of rust that can be found - should attract a bit of attention and highlight this issue.
Now we've got rid of Nick Raymond, lets set about getting things done well!
Lightburn Park - job part done.
4 bags of gravel for a tenner and 20 minutes work weren't enough but made a good start.
Tomorrow : will return with another 4 bags !
Thanks to SLDC for not telling me that my actions were illegal !
Tomorrow : will return with another 4 bags !
Thanks to SLDC for not telling me that my actions were illegal !
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Blackberries and Tesco
People justify their use of Tesco by saying they are near the bread line and have to shop as cheaply as possible.
If people are so strapped for cash - why are there so many blackberries in the hedgerows of highly frequented places? (Just returned from Chittery Lane, one of the main routes up Hoad)
This reinforces my provocative view that people who shop at Tesco are hypocrites. Nothing wrong with that - we're all hypocrites in one way or another - but Tesco shoppers won't like to admit it! They aren't that short of cash - they just go for the unthinking option when if they must buy their blackberries, there is the Coop down the road.
If people are so strapped for cash - why are there so many blackberries in the hedgerows of highly frequented places? (Just returned from Chittery Lane, one of the main routes up Hoad)
This reinforces my provocative view that people who shop at Tesco are hypocrites. Nothing wrong with that - we're all hypocrites in one way or another - but Tesco shoppers won't like to admit it! They aren't that short of cash - they just go for the unthinking option when if they must buy their blackberries, there is the Coop down the road.
Saturday, 5 September 2009
Great pottery workshops both Thursday and Today Saturday
We were very busy enjoying ourselves in the warmth and out of the rain in The Coach House with a wide age range from 5 year olds to very much older Grans. In all we had about twenty people spaced evenly through the day from 11.15 to 4 in the afternoon.
I'm tempted to wait until all these pots for the railings dry out before firing the earlier pots that were done about two weeks ago. This makes sense as it will fill the kiln up so that it is run more economically.
Hoping to have some photos to put here from Matt who took some earlier on.
The adults as well as the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves!
Because of the high interest in the Saturday workshop, we will continue them every week in the Coach House until further notice. Please don't get distracted from making lanterns for the Lantern Parade if you are at all tempted - it's a great event. I suspect the pottery may appeal to different people so we'll keep the workshops going for these.
We're also beginning to have ideas and people wanting to do stuff for Lightburn Park - so expect some to start showing up there.
I'm tempted to wait until all these pots for the railings dry out before firing the earlier pots that were done about two weeks ago. This makes sense as it will fill the kiln up so that it is run more economically.
Hoping to have some photos to put here from Matt who took some earlier on.
The adults as well as the children thoroughly enjoyed themselves!
Because of the high interest in the Saturday workshop, we will continue them every week in the Coach House until further notice. Please don't get distracted from making lanterns for the Lantern Parade if you are at all tempted - it's a great event. I suspect the pottery may appeal to different people so we'll keep the workshops going for these.
We're also beginning to have ideas and people wanting to do stuff for Lightburn Park - so expect some to start showing up there.
Friday, 4 September 2009
A change at the top of South Lakeland Highways
Debbie Binch, the Community Officer for Cumbria County Council has just confirmed that Nick Raymond, the local area Highways Boss, has been seconded to help with work at Dalston, Near Carlisle.
The Head of Highways from the Eden area has taken over Nick Raymond's responsibilities in order to the facilitate this move.
I know of a certain taxi driver and a few thousand others will regard this as good news - for the people of Dalston of course.
I understand that James Airey, our local county councillor, approves of the decision and was certainly not adverse to this new career opportunity for Nick Raymond.
Of course I'm glad to point out that you probably heard it here first!
The Head of Highways from the Eden area has taken over Nick Raymond's responsibilities in order to the facilitate this move.
I know of a certain taxi driver and a few thousand others will regard this as good news - for the people of Dalston of course.
I understand that James Airey, our local county councillor, approves of the decision and was certainly not adverse to this new career opportunity for Nick Raymond.
Of course I'm glad to point out that you probably heard it here first!
Why are so many people angry?
An anger that stems from frustration.
One insightful remark from the comedian Matt Lucas in an interview today:
On being described as "the angriest man I've ever met ", Matt explained:
"very apt : I was 18, with a lot to say, not knowing how to say it."
Describes a lot of people these days particularly youngsters.
.
One insightful remark from the comedian Matt Lucas in an interview today:
On being described as "the angriest man I've ever met ", Matt explained:
"very apt : I was 18, with a lot to say, not knowing how to say it."
Describes a lot of people these days particularly youngsters.
.
Flood warning far less - South Ulverston
Previously very heavy downpour was predicted for this Sunday evening by the Met forecast; the severity of the downpour has now diminished.
Starting slowly at 4 in the afternoon and building up to a downpour of half inch of rain in three hours at ten in the evening. The other side of the coin is that the Met often get it wrong for Ulverston as we have our own microclimate because of our position between Bay and Mountains. Every time I look , the pattern of rain stays the same but the quantities are going down.
Low Mill Bridge will have difficulty coping as I'm not aware of anything having been done by the river authority to remove the concrete blocks and large beam that is embedded in the river bed just downstream of of the bridge.
I shall be raising this issue with Peter Hornby, the new County Councillor for East Ulverston who James Airey assures me is a good man and will be fighting for Ulverston. The two of them could make a good team.
Starting slowly at 4 in the afternoon and building up to a downpour of half inch of rain in three hours at ten in the evening. The other side of the coin is that the Met often get it wrong for Ulverston as we have our own microclimate because of our position between Bay and Mountains. Every time I look , the pattern of rain stays the same but the quantities are going down.
Low Mill Bridge will have difficulty coping as I'm not aware of anything having been done by the river authority to remove the concrete blocks and large beam that is embedded in the river bed just downstream of of the bridge.
I shall be raising this issue with Peter Hornby, the new County Councillor for East Ulverston who James Airey assures me is a good man and will be fighting for Ulverston. The two of them could make a good team.
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
EXASPERATED
Geoff,
Some time ago I sent you emails about getting a bench moved in Cross St . I corresponded with Jayne Kendall and John Bath at Capita.
I thought it would be a simple matter that could be done in a week or two i.e. to move a bench about 50 yards so that old people can sit with their shopping until a taxi appears.
First I was told the seats were in store, then was told the Probation service would <> them - how long can it take to paint a bench ? Now the Probation are <> to cope with this huge job.
Four months later we are no nearer and the only person to have been any help is Norman B-R.
Even he cannot get things moving because now the GPO think it is a security risk to have seat under their window.
I bet you are glad you didn't get elected as I'm sure this typifies local government. IT IS SO EXASPERATING .This type of thing is bound to have an effect on elected councillors .
I agree with you this is why I'm resorting to just doing the job myself when ever I can and ignore local government and councillors - hence The Gill Banks project and coming up that at Lightburn Park. Maybe the public will begin to feel the same. Even councillors like Colin Williams face evasive action when he comes to try and get rusting lamposts repainted.
The system is going to pot - or has it always been like this with bureaucrats taking control and we're just beginning to notice?
Some time ago I sent you emails about getting a bench moved in Cross St . I corresponded with Jayne Kendall and John Bath at Capita.
I thought it would be a simple matter that could be done in a week or two i.e. to move a bench about 50 yards so that old people can sit with their shopping until a taxi appears.
First I was told the seats were in store, then was told the Probation service would <> them - how long can it take to paint a bench ? Now the Probation are <> to cope with this huge job.
Four months later we are no nearer and the only person to have been any help is Norman B-R.
Even he cannot get things moving because now the GPO think it is a security risk to have seat under their window.
I bet you are glad you didn't get elected as I'm sure this typifies local government. IT IS SO EXASPERATING .This type of thing is bound to have an effect on elected councillors .
I agree with you this is why I'm resorting to just doing the job myself when ever I can and ignore local government and councillors - hence The Gill Banks project and coming up that at Lightburn Park. Maybe the public will begin to feel the same. Even councillors like Colin Williams face evasive action when he comes to try and get rusting lamposts repainted.
The system is going to pot - or has it always been like this with bureaucrats taking control and we're just beginning to notice?
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