High Fliers

The theme this term for the children at my school is the O*****c G***s. So the teacher of the youngest class has created an airport check in desk for O*****c Airways. She was showing me last week – it looked great – she’d prepared baggage labels, passports, tickets etc.

“What will the airport staff wear?” I asked. She showed me.

“What’s IR?” she asked – I told her it was International Rescue, from Thunderbirds [she’s so young!!]

“ Let me take them home tonight” I said – and got out the embroidery machine. I used the built in font, and a motif which comes already installed in the machine’s memory, to create a logo. I sewed that on to some denim scraps, then handstitched the patches to the gear.

The children were thrilled with their new uniforms on Friday.

Over the weekend, I used some navy fabric from the stash to make a second tabard and couple of waistcoats, and more forage caps.

In case you are wondering about all the asterisks, I am anxious to avoid infringing any copyright laws. Bob has warned me of the dangers of ‘unlimited fines’ for people using OG things when they haven’t paid!

Steph tells me that the bar at the Lords Cricket ground has had all its beer taps removed, because only Dutch Heineken beers can be sold at O*****c venues! Marston’s [the British brewers] has the beer concession at Lord’s, to sell Pedigree Bitter and is the official sponsor of the England cricket team, but their handpumps will be removed while the archery competition takes place during the Olympics. Portraits of cricketer Matthew Hoggard, Marston’s “beer ambassador”, will be covered up. Visitors to the world-famous cricket ground, with its long tradition of ale drinking, will be offered Dutch lager and anonymous keg bitter and cider. Shops within the O*****c Zone will be able to sell Coca Cola, but not Pepsi.

I believe the whole ‘protection of the O*****c brand’ thing is quite ridiculous. Check out the draconian rules here, and these news stories here and here.

I have read the rules carefully, and I think we are OK with these costumes because they are part of a school project and not commercial and will not be worn outside school. [Please come and visit me in Holloway if I get sent down, won’t you!!]

You would be forgiven for thinking I was posting this on April 1st not May 1st – but I am not kidding. The LOCOG are apparently cracking down very hard on misuse of their brand, and no other brand names will be allowed anywhere near the events.

“What if I have a teeshirt that says ‘Jesus’, you have one that says ‘loves’ and Steph has one that says ‘you’ and we sit in a row?” I asked. Bob said even that would not be allowed because Jesus is not one of the brands who is sponsoring the OG. As far as I am concerned, Jesus is the ultimate brand leader!!