A new direction for Bury South

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and peaceful 2007.

Having received a phone call from my colleague Cllr Yvonne Wright, Chairman of Bury Society for the Blind, to help acquire some paper and accessories for next year’s fundraising wrapping I went out on Friday armed with a ‘letter of introduction’ to my local stores/shops on my mission of the day.   I wish to thank Asda in Radclife and Sainsbury’s in Heaton Park for their generous ‘on the spot’ donations and look forward to hearing from the other stores I visited early next week.  Having set a target of £1,000 to raise this year our wrapping actually managed to raise an incredible £1,400.   

I see that Iain Dale has nominated our very own Bury South MP for his ‘Hypocrite of the Year’ crown.   Apparently our Bury South MP, who is a Junior Minister for Health, is one of 7 MP’s who have publicly protested again the Government’s health policy.  We must not forget that our very own Labour MP was also once Junior Minister for Education (remind me – weren’t Bury Council planning on closing two schools this year) and was also Finance Secretary in the Treasury (remind me again didn’t Bury get the worst financial settlement of all LA’s that year) - I think we should all be concerned about which portfolio he gets next.

Always happy to help a colleague out and when Cllr Yvonne Wright, Chairman of Bury Society for the Blind, called me yesterday to help her to source donations of Christmas wrapping paper for next year’s fundraising wrapping event I was off on ‘my mission for the day’.  So thanks to Asda in Radcliffe and Sainsbury’s in Heaton Park for their generous donations and I look foward to hearing from the other stores/shops I visited who promised to get back to me next week. 

of the passing of Jeff McGilvray – past Chairman of Bury South Conservative Association – my condolences to his family. Jeff was Chairman when I joined the Association and was always very encouraging and supportive – he will be sadly missed.

On a happier note I would like to wish Sheila Blaby, Association President, a very happy ’special’ birthday.

Bury FC’s appeal has been dismissed by the FA so they are now officially out of the FA Cup – what a crying shame!

Bury FC’s website states that full details and reaction will come later today – thanks to all those who signed the petition. 

An early start this morning to see my daughter off at the airport at 6am for her 10 day holiday to
Florida – not that I am jealous or anything?!  On the way home heard about the Prime Minister’s plane overshooting the runway at Miami airport – out of the country again – who’s ‘minding the shop’ this time I wonder? 

Tomorrow is the hearing of Bury FC’s appeal against the FA - sign here to show your support.

I think everyone like me decided to get out today and to go for some retail therapy at the nearby Trafford Centre – arrived an hour and a half after it opened and managed to find one of only 16 parking spaces left out of all the car parks!  Fought my way through the crowds and found an oasis of paradise in the brasserie in John Lewis, downed a cafe latte and then off for ’round 2′ of shopping.  Came home exhausted – decided delivering caledandars to residents the rest of the week will be much more therapeutic, beneficial and less expensive!  Have just been invited to the Bury v Darlington match on New Year’s day so certainly won’t be hitting the sales again next week.

    

My Bury North parliamentary colleague David Nuttall and I have contacted the FA to register our support for Bury FC and to comment on the harsh action taken by the FA against Bury by expelling them from the FA cup following their 3-1 win against Chester  even though they admitted themselves that they had fielded an ineligible player.   Bury deserve the chance to do well, a financially struggling team, which also does amazing outreach work with the youth in Bury need all the money and support they can get.  We of course hope the appeal goes in their favour on the 28th December and wish them luck.

Off to peel some more vegetables now for our Christmas eve dinner with friends.  Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas.

Last night actually ventured out of Bury to Yorkshire – to Rudding Park just outside Harrogate for my husband’s work’s Christmas bash - it was a wonderful evening and great to catch up with all his work colleagues and to put faces to the names of new recruits.  Spent a lazy morning in Harrogate looking round the shops, pump rooms and of course enjoying the delights of a coffee and cake in the famous Betty’s tea rooms.  Had a stroll round the Valley Gardens and walked past The Swan Hotel where Agatha Christie stayed when she mysteriously disappeared in the 1920’s.  On arrival back at the car realised that of all the many places to park we were in a car park right opposite Harrogate Conservative Club!

Home to light the candles for the last night of Chanukah (can’t believe that it is already the 8th day) and ready to prepare for the weekend ahead.  Chanukah was strange this year without my son being here as he is on a ‘gap year’ in Israel but I realise that I am fortunate to be able to communicate with him via text, msn or email - in fact we probably converse more now that he is thousands of miles away!