A thoroughly contented Geoff

As you will gather.

Even though I still feel strongly about issues in the town - in particular our very poor councillors- I'm spending less time dealing remotely with people  as on this blog.

Talking directly to people who live nearby is far more rewarding.

Flag Fortnight is a far more stimulating project than I ever imagined.

It provides a taking point with all the people that live nearby.

I'm discovering all sorts of fascinating people that I've lived next to for years without realising who they were.

Now with a project like the Flag Festival, that most people love because of its past history in the town, talking to others becomes easy.

Most people like the kind of activities that are happening in The Gill - Pottery on the Railings and the Halloween Candlelit Walk -   so there's a lot of cooperation and points of contact.

Only tonight I came away with another sixty pounds for the Ulverston Flag Project and good long chats with people that I didn't know before.

Dealing with 'the public figures' in the town can be so frustrating as they do so little but love grabbing the lime light and trying to appear 'important'. In the case of my own SLDC councillor, who loves making the most of his status, far from beoing helpful, he actually stops SLDC doing things for our area because it would reflect well on me and poorly on him. One civil servant described his actions as 'out of order' when I talked to him recently.

At a time of government cutbacks, local government can do less and less, so that the existing politicians are becoming irrelevant, so dealing directly with each other and the people who actually DO things, is far more effective and in my view avoids frustration and puts a spring in my step.

A Great Discussion Group

The next two sessions:

1st and 15th March 2011

2.15 p.m. – 4.15 p.m.

Methodist Hall, Neville Street,Ulverston.

At the meetings, which are held fortnightly throughout the year, we listen to a short presentation about the topic and then have an open discussion of the arising issues.

Reason

Here are a few questions that will get us thinking about the topic:

·      Do we really use reason to make most decisions?

·      Are reasoned decisions always the best  ones?                  

·      When the calm voice of reason is drowned out by screaming emotions, how can we make good decisions?

·      Why does one person's valuation of something influences others' perception?

·      Why is our attitude to risk often so unreasoned?

·      Does the excessive use of reason lead to a dehumanisation of everyday life?

·      What are the prospects for the future of our society when reason is so often ignored?

I'm going along with the question: "Are humans really 'reasonable' or are they really emotional beings using reason for support ?"

If you would like to find out more about our meetings please ring Geoff on 01229 480347 or send an email - gd at tygh.co.uk

I find these discussions really helpful as they help me sort my ideas out in a world where there are no 'right' answers

In one month - 20 new flags to celebrate Flag Fortnight

And we've got another two months to go!

And another 30 flags to make if our target is to be reached !

Over the past month The Ulverston Flag Festival has sprung back into life under the guidance of the new Ulverston Flag Group who are working with people to design, make or just have a flag to fly during the festival in early May.

Flags have been made at an unprecedented rate because so many people from the community have been involved. Workshops in houses with large rooms along with individuals working in the small terraced houses of The Gill have already produced more than 20 new flags.

While the Ulverston Better Towns Team is continuing to run the festival centred on the shopkeepers under the guidance of Peter Winston, the new group are focussed on involving people of all kinds in this great celebratory activity at a time when all our lives need a little Zest to cheer us up.

The making of flags is a time consuming activity and for a beginner this can take some ten hours to make.

A trip to Bradford's Bombay Stores yielded enough beautifully coloured fabrics to make fifty flags. Bamboo poles have been purchased from Newcastle and the design of brackets has been finalised and are to be made by one of three local firms that have willingly got involved.

The Gill was chosen as a starting point for this community activity because it provides an ideal space for the display of flags and because over thirty people here are so keen to have a flag.

Furthermore the theme of The Gill's past history is an inspiration to all.

It's difficult to believe that so much has happened here in the past : Home of the Hiring Fairs where people came to find work as recently as 1940, Circuses with tales of an Elephant that died and was buried in the nearby Quaker Cemetery at Birkrigg, a Saw Mill and Corn Mill driven by the power of the beck that flowed through the middle, the corn mill owner was the national pole vaulting champion, The Magazine where gunpowder and arms were stored for the local militia, the Slaughter House and Tannery, the Police Station and Lock Up (now toilets), A Pub - The house of Letters with the beginning of Ulverstons Postal Service, all based on The Gill as a centre for travel by horse, The School run by Holy Trinity Church and more recently the home of Welfare State International, the people that started all the festivals in the town, noteworthy the Lantern Festival and this Flag Festival, and lastly the beginning of the Cumbrian Way.

All these are being reflected in the designs of the flags that are being made.

When the Gill has been covered the theme is being extended up Stanley Street to the Health Centre where it is hoped there will be three very large flag poles and on to the Mill Dam Play area, Sun and Star streets and the allotment beyond. It is hoped to also have some flags coming down Soutergate to celebrate the church, pubs and workshops it had in the past. Next we hope to spread down Church Walk to the school and chaurch at the end.

Those wanting to get involved are invited to the workshop that has been organised for next week end on Sunday 6th and then again another which is being organised in a large Hall in late March/early April. Details can be found on the new facebook page - Ulverston Flag Fortnight or to contact Geoff Dellow on 01229 480347.

The Ulverston Flag Group had their first Photoshoot with the two local newspapers vying with each other to capture this feast of moving colour from the twenty flags that have been made in the last month by this active group.

They represented just the tip of the iceberg of massive enthusiasm for this project - many of the flag makers, who spend on average eight hours of hard work in making a single flag, are camera shy!

(seen here are the result of 160 hours of enthusiastic work on a sewing machine and cutting board)

They invite others in Ulverston to join them in celebrating "nothing in particular" other than a Zest for Life and a refusal to let "problems " get the better of them. Others in the town can get involved in designing and making another 20 flags for their houses before Flag Fortnight which is in early May.

The Royal Wedding is providing another source of inspiration for the flags which will go up on William and Kate's special day - Friday April  29th.

Follow this project on Ulverston's Flag Fortnight Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Flag-Fortnight-Ulverston/173725292668920

How is Cameron's Big Society doing?

Sounds great.

I'll start believing in it when Britain's "Big Society" is supported by the banks and big business.

At the moment the thinking seems to be aimed at those with little money and not those in finance.

Don't we need a "people as human beings"  philosophy rather than one based of greed. This applies to all sections of our society.

What does the church have to say?

Don't the Church of England own a fair bit of London?

For me , I prefer to focus on the people immediately around me; hence the Flags.

Come and see the twenty new ones we've made today at 2pm in The Gill and join in this fun activity.

One family was heavily involved yesterday!

A people-powered movement

Hi,
I want you to watch a video of the many Yes! Campaign to Fairer Votes supporters. I think it truly shows how powerful a people-centred movement can be:

http://www.yestofairervotes.org/peoplevideo

I'm fed up with dishonest politicians who are far too concerned about their party and don't think logically for themselves.

We live in changing times and it's beginning to be possible for our votes to count for something.

This, in my view is the best option that we have at the present time.

Let's go for it!

As a supporter from Cardiff says in the video, "It's about ordinary people taking a stand to change the face of politics and democracy, not just for a generation, but hopefully for generations to come."

We've got our chance in the referendum on 5 May 2011. The proposed Alternative Vote ("AV") method of electing MPs builds on the strengths of the current system while eliminating many of its weaknesses.

Politicians will be forced to work harder to earn and keep our support. People will at last be able to vote for what they really want.

So what have I been up to?

This gives you a clue.

Don't they look good!

Looking forward to displaying many of the other new flags that have already been made during the last six weeks at a press 'photo opportunity' and telling the story so far behind their designs.

We invite you to a quick preview at the above location in The Gill at 2pm this next Wednesday Feb 23rd.

Here's what others get up to with bamboo poles and flags.

Can we do something at all similar here?



How good are the Gymnasts at Victoria High ?

We could certainly jump over a flag - more needs a little practice!

We've got the drummers.

How about a Flag Jumping Drumming Festival ?

Let's set our sights a little higher !

The new site for Ulverston - http://www.visitulverston.com

This web site continues to grow in stature.

It's the best site we have that is geared to telling the outside world what is to be seen in Ulverston.

Well worth a good look around!

For instance:

this on the mural and arts in Ulverston

Looks like Google are turning up the heat

With their new face on their search engine.

Milking us for information in exchange for the services they offer.

Next thing it will be the blogs that we've got so used to!

Will they and the internet world that we're getting so used to be able to cope with the intense solar activity that could happen at any time!

And here's another

Photo from Allan Wilson!

Tree at Colton

Preparing for the new season on the allotment.

'Chitting' my seed potatoes in the garage ready for the allotment in six weeks time ( I need to get digging in preparation!)

Rocket for small new potatoes and Pentland Javelin for the next crop have been recommended. The latter have some Blight resistance.