Goodnight, Ladies

 Four notable, strong women have died this week.

1. July 7th - My Auntie Jean, at 101. The rest of the world did not know her, she won't get a mention on the BBC, but for her 100+ relations, and her many friends, her passing will be noted, her life and faith celebrated. She gave so much to so many. always with a warm smile or a cheeky grin.
2. July 8th - Bonnie Tyler. Aged 75. 
   This Welshwoman, with a wonderfully powerful voice had been ill for some weeks. She had been married to her beloved Robert for 53 years. They had no children, but she did a phenomenal amount for charity across the world, but particularly in Wales, especially child-related projects. Her most famous hit was "Total Eclipse of the Heart" [my favourite is "Holding Out for a Hero] Deeply loved, she was described as 'a proud Welsh Icon' by Prince William
3. July 9th - Anne Widdecombe. Aged 78. A feisty, outspoken woman, of very strong views. She was raised Catholic, became an agnostic, then Anglican, then converted back to Catholicism. Brought up Conservative, she was a local councillor, became an MP in 1987. She joined the Brexit Party, then the Reform Party. She remained single and had no children, saying she had chosen to commit her life to public service. In her later years she became a 'celeb' appearing on Strictly Come Dancing, Celeb Big Brother and made numerous other TV appearances. Rev Richard Coles described her as "Ann Widdecombe, who I knew a bit, both as an adversary and as an inconveniently congenial acquaintance." and wrote a prayer on Facebook which was very gracious, I felt. We have since heard that she was murdered. So incredibly sad. 
4. July 10th - Patricia Greene - aka Jill Archer. Aged 95. Part of the soundtrack of my life until I stopped listening to the radio soap during Covid! She was 'married' to Brookfield Farm for 69 years! She did other roles here and there on TV - but basically she had one job, and she did it brilliantly. The longest serving actor in any soap [radio, TV or Internet] in the world. The matriarch of a huge fictional farming family - her character was so popular [Queen Camilla is apparently an Archers Addict] She continued recording, even when she moved into a care home. Patricia [Paddy] was a much loved member of the Archers Team, "unfailingly warm and encouraging" She was awarded an MBE ' for services to broadcasting and charity.

May these strong women rest in peace, may their loved ones be comforted, may others carry on the good work they did and the generosity they showed.

Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly [Micah 6:8]

I try to avoid getting political on my blog. But the words of the prophet Micah are good advice in these days - especially to the leaders of the nations.
In 2018 I went up to London to meet Liz and join those who were marching in protest of the arrival of a certain person. A number of people told me I was wrong to do this. That the President of another nation deserved respect. That as a Christian I should be loving and accepting, even if I disagreed with someone.
My answer then was that I believed that my responsibility was to speak for the poor and the marginalised, to speak in defence of those who could not speak for themselves. To uphold people's right to life and liberty. I have not changed my position on this issue.

Another Bryan Bilston Poem

This is a reprint of a post from July 2018 - after I had gone to London to protest with Liz about President Trump's first State visit to the UK. Afterwards she sent me a BB poem. So my post about that march was entitled Liz Sent Me A Poem - here's a shortened version of that post...
Friday's march was a joyous carnival event -[many people] united in their anger and sadness over the activities of one narcissistic man. Liz and I were marching with Jenna, originally from Michigan - I was proud of these two young women beside me who shared my feelings about the arrival of this man on our shores.

We commented on the diversity of issues represented [racism, misogyny, nuclear weapons, global warming, mistreatment of refugees, Islamophobia, imprisonment of asylum seekers, homophobia, separation of children from parents...and more]We sang, 

 cheered, clapped, blew whistles Afterwards Liz sent me Brian Bilston's poem. I shall endeavour to live up to it as I grow older!

AS I GROW OLD I WILL MARCH NOT SHUFFLE

As I grow old
I will not shuffle to the beat
of self-interest
and make that slow retreat
​​​to the right.

I will be a septuagenarian insurrectionist
marching with the kids.

I shall sing ‘La Marseillaise’,
whilst brandishing homemade placards that proclaim 
‘DOWN WITH THIS SORT OF THING’.
I will be an octogenarian obstructionist,

and build unscalable barricades
from bottles of flat lemonade,
tartan blankets and chicken wire.
I will hurl prejudice upon the brazier’s fire.

I will be a nonagenarian nonconformist,

armed with a ballpoint pen
and a hand that shakes with rage not age
at politicians’ latest crimes,
in strongly-worded letters to The Times.

I will be a centenarian centurion
and allow injustice no admittance.

I will stage longstanding sit-ins.

My mobility scooter and I
will move for no-one.

And when I die

I will be the scattered ashes
that attach themselves to the lashes
and blind the eyes
of racists and fascists.

Thank you Bryan! I was in my 60s when I protested then, I am in my 70s now. I hope I never lose the fire in my belly that makes me want to speak out against evil and injustice. 

Trump is due here for another State Visit in September. According to CNN last week  "More specifics about the state visit will be released in the future, the palace statement said. As with every state visit, it will include a full ceremonial welcome and state banquet. All senior members of the Royal Family are expected to take part."

Of course, the King's brother Andrew will not attend the banquet, as he is no longer able to take part in State Events, because of his unfortunate close friendship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein...

#Word365

My "Word For The Year" came to me back in November. I volunteer every week at the local hospital, and I have to log my hours using the online site of Voluntary Norfolk, on a page titled "My Impact". I think they are encouraging us to understand that whatever we do, even if only an hour a week, can make a difference - to other people to the community - and to us volunteers as individuals.

The dictionary offers five definitions of this word

Noun
1. the act of one body, object, etc striking another; collision
2. the force with which one thing hits another or with which two objects collide
3. the impression made by an idea, cultural movement, social group,
Verb
4. to drive or press an object firmly into another or of two objects to be driven or pressed firmly together
5. to have an impact or strong effect (on)

Some of these can sound quite negative - but there is also a positive aspect to impact. Yes a health issue, or a sudden financial drain, or a broken relationship can have a bad impact on us. But other things, an unexpected gift, a bright sunny day in the middle of a dreary winter, the renewal of a friendship, a hug or smile... these things can have a good impact.
The graphic, with its Newton's Cradle imagery. implies force, and the definitions include words like collide, hit, drive, and press. Impact can be strong, and maybe unpleasant. But even soft words can make a difference, and have an impact. 45 years ago, the first British TV series to feature a female detective was called "The Gentle Touch" - the idea that sometimes it was better to go gently than plough in with brute force.

What things may have an impact on us? Weather, TV programmes, health issues, world events, books, politicians, relationships [and for me personally, reading the Bible and listening to sermons]
And how do we impact others? By the way we act and speak - and also how we vote, how we spend our money, how we share our time with other people.

The ball swings down and hits the next in the row on Newton's cradle, and the force travels along through the others suspended, until the end one swings up. There is a 'knock-on' effect. Sometimes in life, the original force is magnified like ripples on a pond - and the final outcome is much worse

For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

At other times, the impact of one small action grows into something huge and good. Rosa Parks sat down on the bus in 1955, Moina Michael pinned a red poppy on her coat in 1918 - you can think of other examples
This year I hope I will take the hard knocks which will inevitably come, but try to ameliorate their effect and not pass on too much negative impact to the next in line - but also try to ensure that I can do good things which have a positive impact on those around me

Empower Her!

 The Mothers' Union is running a new campaign

It looks brilliant. Our local MU decided to feature this, with a couple of other campaigns on their Festival Christmas Tree. I was asked to produce half a dozen mini books approx 3" x 2". Here they are

It was lovely to be asked to help. Women's Education is something I feel passionate about. And it is good to raise awareness [MU website HERE] 

Stick To Your Saucepans, Jamie!

Jamie Oliver has published around two dozen cookbooks. I have borrowed most of them from the library and enjoyed them. But his latest attempt at pen-to-paper has seriously come a cropper. Penguin just published his children's book "Billy and the Epic Escape" - and within hours have withdrawn it from sale. Oops! The problem is that it features an Australian First Nations girl, and there are lots of serious errors [maybe 'cultural bloopers' is a kinder term] which have caused many people to be offended and very upset.  JO is in Oz at the minute, promoting his new cookbook, and is now spending his time apologising profusely [and presumably cancelling promotions for the  children's book]

I'm not defending him. I'd be annoyed if Donna Hay wrote a children's book featuring a girl from Norfolk, full of distorted stereotypes and loaded with incorrect dialect words.[not that she ever would]  It must be infinitely more annoying/distressing/patronising/worse for the indigenous peoples. And I am frustrated that Penguin Books were so careless about their editing procedures. Who read Jamie's manuscript and thought 'hey, this is good!' - his cookbooks go through strenuous vetting to check for errors in recipes, ingredients,method etc. But that doesn't mean his work of fiction is faultless!

I am getting heartily sick of 'celebs' who churn out children's books, to be sold simply on the strength of their name. Who can forget Sarah Ferguson's "Budgie the Helicopter"? Keith Richards "Gus and Me", or Julie Andrews "Mandy" [Oh wait, many of us already have] 

Having had to read David Walliams "Demon Dentist" to my class [and improve the English as I went along-I couldn't bring myself to read some of his sentences aloud] I cannot see why DW was flavour of the year in so many academies. Just because you can act, cook, sing, or be married to a Royal, it doesn't mean you can write!

Furthermore, there are a lot of struggling young authors out there who deserve a chance, a space on the book table at Waterstones this Christmas. If they are good, then their career may take off. And they want to do this for a living,not as a lucrative sideline.

Here are seven contemporary children's authors who have made it. And who have made it their business to encourage children both to read, and to try and write for themselves. These are favourites in my family, and some have been on my list for many years. There are others - but I cannot include them all - feel free to add yours in the comments. And 6 of these are still very much alive and kicking. [age in brackets]

• Michael Morpurgo [81]  A cracking storyteller, and a good man doing so much for under privileged children
• Nick Butterworth [78]  Back in 1970 I met one of his student friends who told me that NB was going to be a great illustrator, and I should look out for his books. I have at least 6 of them!
• Jacqueline Wilson [78] She is great fun, and her characters are believable. She's helped girls to be true to themselves and have confidence.
• Julia Donaldson [76] the A-Z of readable books - from A Squash and A Squeeze, to Zog, by way of the amazing Gruffalo [which Jess appears to know by heart already]
• Mick Inkpen [71] Four million books sold [I love Percy the Park keeper] Like NB above,[and me] he was born in Romford. And his Dad Stan was friends with my Dad [also Stan] in Boys' Brigade in the 1930s!!
• Rob Biddulph [52] The youngest on my current list - but what a great guy. A true encourager of young readers, writers and artists. With practical tips on his website. Peanut Jones a definite heroine [thank you Rosie for introducing me to this author's work] Here's hoping Rob produces great books for many years like the guys above
• Jill Murphy [sadly died in 2022, aged 72] Rosie loves the Worst Witch, I am happy with Five Minutes Peace [in every sense]

Stick to writing recipes, and campaigning for better food, Jamie - these are the things you are good at.

Souls Of Our Shoes

We popped over to Fakenham early yesterday morning [Bob wanted to see a chap on the market about some secondhand tools] and went round to the Parish Church for Coffee. They have a beautiful new glass door, and inside, some new steps and a neat ramp for buggies and wheelchairs. They are making every effort to be welcoming to visitors.

The Norfolk Mothers' Union has a travelling exhibition [Souls of our Shoes] at the moment. MU is spearheading a campaign called RISE UP working to support all those affected by domestic violence. 

The title stands for Respond, Inform, Support, Empower
Unite, Pray

Alongside pairs of discarded shoes are quotes from those affected by such abuse - women, and children. It is very powerful to read their words.

There was plenty of literature offering support and help. Women's Aid [a charity which has been around for half a century] estimates that 1 in 4 women in the UK have suffered domestic abuse [and 1 in 7 men] It was a very thought provoking exhibition. I do hope that all those on the other side of the church, enjoying coffee and cake , took time to stop and look before they left. Well done MU for flagging this up! 

I didn't spend anything much [Bob has yet to buy the tools] apart from 70p on two vintage stitching  magazines and 5 lots of stranded threads in variegated colours. But we did enjoy a very gentle stroll in the sun. 

Down The Alley...

... or jitty, ginnel, twitter, snicket,gunnel, loke... We have some fabulous dialect words for those little paths here in the UK. Sadly in some parts of the country they have become very neglected. In areas of dense housing, the paths running behind the rows of terraced houses are real eyesore. Too narrow for modern bin lorries, residents keep their wheelie bins in front of their properties. And the alleys are unused, unloved and ugly

So well done to the people who try to make a difference. Some of the residents in these Manchester houses have been collaborating to turn a eyesore into an eye-catching display. Rotting rubbish turned in a place of beauty. All the residents are asked to make a small contribution to the cost, and those with gardening skills put it all together. And because it is so lovely, it discourages littering and people take delight,in maintaining it.  And George and Jacob can enjoy going home safely walking among the flowers to their back garden gate.

What is your local word for alley? Are there any "Community Garden Projects" near you? 

Because I Can...

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations says that volunteering is: “Volunteering is someone spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the environment or someone who they're not closely related to. Volunteering must be a choice freely made by each individual.”

Or there’s this shorter definition; “Volunteering is doing more than you have to, because you want to, in a cause you consider good.”

Back before Christmas, I saw that Voluntary Norfolk were advertising for somebody to do crafts with patients on the Rehab Ward at Dereham Hospital. So I made enquiries about what this entailed. The wheels were set in motion - but boy did they turn slowly! This is quite normal in the world of volunteering - references, DBS checks, training, induction, "shadowing" etc etc. I finally began the job a month ago, and this week actually did something approaching a 'craft activity' with just one patient.

There were 4 volunteers in the team, and we are having a "Sport" theme for the next four Tuesdays. I helped one lady make herself a medal, and then she coloured in a poster. Another gentleman painted a picture of a banana [he was not interested in the theme!]

It is a small unit, and this crafting is a new initiative, but we are hoping interest will grow among the other patients - we work in the day room/dining area. Patients who can walk, or go into wheelchairs, come into this room for their meals, so maybe the Olympic Display my colleague put up will stimulate more craftiness next week. 

When I applied, the first question was 'have you done voluntary work before?' and I said I had been volunteering since about 1970. 'What was the first thing you did?' I said I was doing my Queen's Award in the Girls' Brigade. One requirement was doing 2 hours voluntary service each week for 6 months. So I used to cycle up the hill to Dereham Hospital each Saturday morning. I had to sort out the flowers, help patients with their elevenses, and chat to them. 

Obviously the patients are quite limited in their abilities.They are all OAPs, some in their 90s, and many have few fine motor skills, others have arms/hands strapped up, due to falls. Finding appropriate activities is a challenge. But just chatting with them is a positive exercise. The nursing staff are really appreciative, as they do not have time to sit and talk with these folk.

If giving up 90 minutes on a Tuesday morning can help brighten someone's day, give them more confidence in their abilities, or just relieve the pressure on nursing staff, then I will be a volunteer. The important thing is to pick up the correct lanyard from the hook on the back of the study door. It would confuse everybody if I arrived with a badge saying Bob, Chaplaincy Team! Finding an appropriate photo was a challenge. The picture is four years old - after that haircut, I stopped dyeing the grey hairs! 

Do you volunteer? And do you find it rewarding?

 

Don't Forget Your ID!

 

Here's Rosie back in 2017 going to the Polling Station with her Mum. It will be another 10 years before she can vote. But my vote today can make a difference to the world in which did is growing up.

Processing My Thoughts

Back in the 80s, Auntie Peggy announced one year that what she wanted for Christmas was a new processor. "Word, or food?" we said. She was surprisingly tech savvy, but it was a Kenwood she had in mind for her kitchen. It was about the time that I was reading Maurice Hansen's book "E is for additives"- I had two small children and I was concerned to feed them properly - avoiding E102 [tartrazine yellow food colouring], and knowing E500 was safe [ bicarbonate of soda.]

Not all E numbers were dodgy, but I wanted to be careful about what I was feeding my children. ["E" stands for "Europe" - since 1962 scientists across the continent were ensuring food additives were carefully regulated - there are over 1500 on the 'permitted' list]

40 years on, there's a new kid on the block. Dr Chris Van Tulleken, an associate professor at UCL, has written a book about Ultra Processed Food.  I was amused to see it is published by Cornerstone Press! [part of the Penguin Group]

CVTs contention is that 60% of the diet of the population of the UK is Ultra Processed Food, [UPF] and it is not good for us; that it is making us obese, and sick, and causing premature deaths; that the production methods harm the environment

A definition

Ultra-processed food is an industrially formulated edible substance derived from natural food or synthesized from other organic compounds. The resulting products are designed to be highly profitable, convenient, and hyperpalatable, often through food additives such as preservatives, colourings, and flavourings.

I ordered this book from the library in July - and finally I got it last weekend. It needs to go back, there are at least 70 behind me in the queue who have reserved it! But here is my review

I found it hard going - there are interesting stories about how UPF has been developed throughout history - Napoleon III [Boney's grandson] gave a prize to the man who developed margarine from cow's suet, and sheep's enzymes. And Hitler's scientists developing "coal-butter", and other little anecdotes which are interesting and easy to read - but there are loads of pages of chemical formulae and statistics and so many footnotes [sometimes more footnotes on a page than regular text] He covers an awful lot of ground - why choosing a healthy diet is more than sugar, exercise and will power, what UPFs do to our digestive systems, and why the manufacturers are concerned about making a product to generate profits, not to nourish the hungry. 

And why the make-up of UPF is designed to make you overconsume. They even admit it in their ads... The first potato crisps[US chips] were thin slices of potato, fried, and sprinkled with salt. But this popular party snack is a million miles from that.

Pringles have about 42% potato content, the remainder being wheat starch and flours (corn and rice) combined with vegetable oils, an emulsifier, salt, and seasoning. Other ingredients include maltodextrin, dextrose, MSG,  disodium isonate, disodium guanylate, sodium caseinate, modified starch, Mono & di glycerides, autolysed yeast extract,artificial flavourings etc etc... Definitely an Ultra Processed Potato!

CVT talks about food labelling - here in the UK we are used to the "Traffic Light" system, and also the HFSS [High fat, sugar,salt] warnings. These are useful - as far as they go. Young parents don't have time, with a fractious toddler in the trolley and another child in tow, to stop and read every label on every packet as they go round the supermarket. The red/amber/green is a helpful, speedy reference. 

CVT favours the Brazilian NOVA system, whereby foods are classified into four groups

Group 1 - unprocessed and minimally processed foods - meat, fruit, vegetables, but also flour and pasta.

Group 2 is 'processed culinary ingredients' oils, lard, butter, sugar, salt, vinegar, honey - traditional foods which might be prepared using industrial technology. These tend to be nutrient poor and energy dense, so not the survival part of your diet, but the stuff that combines with group 1 to produce delicious food.

Group 3 -'processed food' - the ready-made mixtures of groups 1 & 2 , usually processed for preservation, like salted nuts, smoked meat, canned fish, fruit in syrup, traditionally made fresh bread.

Group 4 is the UPF, defined as "formulations of ingredients, mostly of exclusive industrial use, made by a series of industrial processes, requiring sophisticated equipment and technology. These processes include fractioning of whole food into substances and chemical modification of these substances" UPF is highly profitable [low cost, synthetic ingredients] and has a long shelf life [chemical preservatives] and convenient, ready-to-eat [minimal input needed from the customer] 

The scientists who developed the NOVA scale felt there is a real danger that "these hyperpalatable products are likely to displace freshly prepared dishes from all the other NOVA groups"

CVT tells how when his 3 yr old daughter first saw a box of CocoPops [he had put himself on an exclusively UPF diet as part of his research] she demanded some - pointing out the monkey on the box meant they were designed for children. She had eaten the equivalent of 3 adult portions while he was looking up the nutritional content of said cereal. [once you CocoPop you cant stop?]

He tells of Nestle taking a boat up the Amazon in 2010 to introduce their products to the native tribes. And how adults and children began to crave KitKats etc, even though their resources for purchasing them were very limited. And now diabetes is a serious problem for the Brazilians.

CocaCola's CEO said that because half the world has not yet tasted a Coke, there is a huge marketing opportunity out there. Doctors in the 3rd world weep, because even in remote places you can buy a chilled beverage, but they find it almost impossible to get funding for fridges to keep their life-saving vaccines cool. 

Baby formula is a UPF, and for some mothers it is essential [My Mum was ill, and I was weaned on National Dried Milk in the 50s] However in the third world, giving mothers powder to mix, when they have no clean water to make the solution, or to clean their bottles properly, causes hundreds of babies to become ill and die from dehydration of diarrhoea. 

CVT is really concerned - UPFs are making us ill, while they are making the manufacturers big profits.

He wants us to urge government to think about the food policies they are making.

He wants us to care for our planet - in Indonesia, an area the size of Greater London, was cleared to produce acres of trees for palm oil crops - with dreadful results for the native wildlife, and affecting the climate.

He wants us to read the labels and ask "Do I recognise this ingredient - would I find that in a domestic kitchen?"

I found the book challenging, and I am being more mindful about my food shopping [not that I am eating very much this week - mostly scrambled eggs and milk till my mouth settles down] 

I am aware that cooking and eating habits gave changed enormously since my girls were toddlers - no trips to McDonalds, or 'ping meals' from a microwave or airfryer back then.  Now so much peer pressure on children to eat the snacks their friends do - cheap and accessible. It's really hard for young parents

Last weekend I let Rosie and Jess make their own Ice-cream sundaes for dessert- soft scoop ice cream, squeezy strawberry and chocolate sauces, sponge fingers, coloured sprinkles and squirty cream... all UPF by CVTs definition.  [In my defence, they also added my home made fruit compôte - made with fruits of the forest and demerara sugar. Not UPF] Now I am wishing I hadn't!

I am going to try and be more disciplined about making my own bread and 'baked goods', as cakes, biscuits and snack foods do seem to be among the worst offenders. And try to get a higher %age of my diet from NOVA groups 1 & 2.  But I do not think I can avoid UPF altogether.

Sorry - this has been a very long post. It was and long a complex book!

Is he going over the top with this?

You must draw your own conclusions. 

A Message For The Grandmothers

Elisabeth has been my friend for over 40 years. We met as young Mums and now we are grandmothers. She has the strongest social conscience of anybody I know, and is up there with Kezzie when it comes to both cycling and recycling. She sent me this, by the Puerto Rican poet Aurora Levins Morales. A good reminder that some of us may be retired, and unlikely to be around in a few decades time. But we have a responsibility to future generations.

Knock!Knock! Who's There? Arabella

Arabella Who? Arabella Fontay. 

That's a really old joke, and probably not understood by anyone under the age of 55. But I remembered it yesterday when I heard that Harry Belafonte had died.

He was a really popular singer in the 50s and 60s. My father was very fond of the man and his music - Harry was born in Harlem, New York in 1927, the son of poor Caribbean immigrants. As well as being a singer, he was also an activist, working against racism and poverty, for all his life.A great friend of both Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, he spoke out on behalf of the marginalised, the oppressed and the impoverished. He was not afraid to criticise the American Presidents, whether Democrat or Republican. He was a Goodwill Ambassador for Unicef

He popularised the calypso style - and many of his songs were about life in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Perhaps the most famous is the Banana Boat song [Day-O] - with the call and response sections

But he had other songs too  - the crazy "Jump In The Line" and the nostalgic "Island in the Sun"

But the Belafonte song I love the best is one which we sing every Christmas, one which reflects Harry's lifelong Christian faith 

Oprah Winfrey's tribute yesterday described him as "a trailblazer and hero to us all" saying "Thank you for your music, your artistry, your activism, your fight for civil rights and justice. Your being here on Earth has blessed us all."
RIP Harry  Belafonte 1927-2023

What They Took With Them

 Jenifer Toksvig [Sister of the more famous Sandi] wrote this poem inspired by first hand stories of refugees and what they were able to take when forced to flee their homes.

The UNHCR asked some great actors to read the poem and made it into a brief film.

This video moved me to tears. 

Watch it, and tell me that it is still OK for our government to send people to Rwanda...

My Money's On This One

If you have access to Netflix, then do try and watch Bank Of Dave, [released last week]

The film calls itself "a true(ish) story" and so it is. Dave Fishwick was a guy in Burnley who'd made his fortune selling minibuses. An ordinary bloke, supporting his local football team, and listening to Def Leppard. He was amazingly generous and constantly lending money to local people, and giving money to charity. He wanted to start a "community bank" which would help create jobs,  enable people to improve their businesses and much more. But the Financial Regulators don't make it easy.

All of that is completely true. The film is [loosely] based on fact- and the wonderful Rory Kinnear plays Dave. A few extra [fictional] characters are thrown in to help the story; a London lawyer and a young doctor [Dave's niece] provide the romance, and there's a top banker [Hugh Bonneviille] being brilliantly evil. Sean Dyche [Manager of Burnley FC] and Def Leppard [yes, really] make cameo appearances. 

Dave insisted the film was shot in Burnley, and premiered there [not in London] Here's the real Dave plus Rory. 

It's a fun, feelgood film where goodness and generosity outshine the greed and self-aggrandisement of the "Fat Cats" and the locals collaborate to make good things come to pass. 

Please watch it if you can. Dave's deservedly popular in his home town - he began all this after the financial crash of 2008— but still continues to care for his community. One school reported that they recently asked him to help with the cost of an industrial sized toaster for their breakfast club. He quickly supplied not only the appliance , but also the cash for a year's worth of food!

I'd rate this one *****

Slaves To Fashion

This is the title of an exhibition currently on display at Norwich Castle. It is work by the Singh Twins of Liverpool, and came to Norwich from the Walker Art Gallery there. I went a fortnight ago and found it fascinating. The information sheet says
This exhibition by the Singh Twins explores hidden narratives of Empire, Colonialism, conflict, slavery and luxury lifestyle through the lens of India's historical textile trade and their relevance to modern day legacies and debates around ethical consumerism, racism and the politics of trade.  
[But please note that The Singh Twins: Slaves of Fashion contains imagery and language which reflects historic colonial attitudes. Due to the nature of the exhibition, there is some historic racist, xenophobic and otherwise offensive content, as well as contemporary depictions of torture and violence.]
It is mindblowing, in the brilliant use of art and technology, challenging and thought provoking as it shows how the Indian textile trade has, for centuries, been affected by colonialism and consumerism. And we are told not only of historical injustices, but more contemporary issues, where the livelihoods of ordinary people are affected by the greed, and demand for fast fashion across the world.
The sisters produced huge paintings, with 'fabric' themes - cotton, calico, muslin, chintz. indigo etc These artworks have incredible detail- historic characters, social problems, the demands of the fashion industry, the greed of the rich...
The colour, and the situations portrayed took my breath away. I took some photos, and talked at length with the knowledgeable Museum staff. We so easily take fabric for granted - and I say that as someone who loves the textures, and colours, and styles. Here are just some of my pictures. Do look at the brief video at the end of this post - and if you have the opportunity to see this exhibition I would recommend it. 

Evidence of Indian textile manufacture goes back to ancient times - according to folklore, Queen Hatshepsut sent cargo ships to Kerala

Cotton cloth was unknown in Europe in the 14th Century - but Sir John Mandeville, a renowned traveller, believed this amazing cloth was produced by lambs who grew on trees!.

Queen Isabella of Castille sent Columbus off in 1492 to the East Indies, she wanted the fabled silks and embroidered silks. Instead he found the Americas - but that brought much gold to Spain, which she used to buy these opulent fabrics.

Indigo Blue - a rich deep shade, with colour fast properties. The figure here is Mumtaz Mahal - whose husband built her memorial temple in Agra [ a centre for indigo production] She is wearing denim jeans- challenging the idea that indigo represents 20thC western values. Its origins are from 16thC India. This dye was once known as 'blue gold' Details on this panel show Nelson and Napoleon fighting over India, and [bottom right] an X-ray of the lungs of a young 20thC textile worker- destroyed because he worked sandblasting jeans without PPE

 In 1600, Elizabeth I gave the East India Company a Royal Charter. This started out as trade, but ended in conquest. The main character is Calico Jack, a pirate known for his bright waistcoats. the magpie on his shoulder shows theft, the morning glory flowers are symbols of deceit. At the bottom left we see a British silk weaver beating a woman for wearing imported calico. The weavers feared for their livelihoods - in 1701 the Calico Act banned the import of printed cotton cloth from India, in order to protect the British textile industry.

Kashmir in India was famed for fine shawls, made from the wool of mountain goats [cashmere, and pashmina] From 1770 on these became a status symbol for European women. It took a weaver over a year to make one shawl. 

European factories and mass production made them cheaper, it was possible for more women to wear them. This is a Russian woman, wearing a shawl inspired by the Indian ones. The red Norwich shawls were similarly developed.

This woman has a phulkari draped over her arm.This word means flower work, and describes a particular style of embroidery from the Punjab in Northern India. Girls often made one as part of their dowry. These became popular in Britain in Victorian times, draped as home furnishings. Demand for cheaper versions led to mass production. The Kiku Movement, a resistance group, promoted home-spun cloth as a way of undermining British Rule - many of the group were executed, The artwork shows also the partition of the Punjab in 1947

Until the 18thC, India produced finished cloth for export - but in the 19thC, raw cotton was shipped to the UK, where the textile mills of the North West became the textile hub of the Empire. Along the bottom of this panel are pictures of the Manchester Mills and city architecture, and a poor little mill girl, barefoot, and clutching her shawl - there were slaves here too - with no proper representation. See also Mahatma Gandhi [middle left] wearing his homespun loincloth

At the top of this picture are printed many words which have come into our language from the people ofIndia - 

Dungarees, Bandanna, Cummerbund, Gingham, Sash, Pyjamas, Guinea, Khaki, Chintz, Calico...

We cannot undo the past - but we can learn from it, acknowledge the damage done by previous generations, and do all we can to work for fairtrade, justice for workers, proper compensation after injury or loss, and efforts to ensure sustainable production methods.

It is wrong that people [whether in Leicester or or Lahore] are working in appalling conditions, for minimal pay, to produce cheap, fast fashion. 

This exhibition thrilled me, challenged me, and has made me think about my relationship to fabric. See what others have said...

Advent 3

How easily we read the Christmas story - and stop short at the end of Matthew 2:12.

"In a dream, the Magi were warned not to report back to Herod. So they worked out another route, left the territory without being seen, and returned to their own country.

After they had gone, God’s angel showed up again in Joseph’s dream and commanded, “Get up. Take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt. Stay until further notice. Herod is on the hunt for this child, and wants to kill him.”

Joseph obeyed. He got up, took the child and his mother under cover of darkness. They were out of town and well on their way by daylight. They lived in Egypt until Herod’s death.

Herod, when he realized that he’d been tricked, flew into a rage. He commanded the murder of every little boy two years old and under who lived in Bethlehem and its surrounding hills."

Rembrandt painted this picture of J,M,J [& the wee donkey] when he was barely 20 years old. Making the journey, scared, alone, in the dark.How terrifying for them.

I am no good at art, but have embroidered myself a little Christmas badge. It has provoked some interesting discussions!

But We Didn't Go To Yosemite...

Apologies to all my dear friends in the USA, but my knowledge of the geography of your country is rather limited. Mention "Yosemite", and I just think of the film Capricorn One. Elliot Gould is interviewing the astronaut's wife after she has spoken with her husband who has [supposedly] just been to the moon. He talks about going to Yosemite like last year...and she says to EG "But we didn't go to Yosemite, we went to a film studios" [Great film, check it out if you haven't seen it]

Following my trip to Dunbar at the weekend, I now know much more about Yosemite, and that it is located in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California. [Have you visited, Bless?]

In the middle of Dunbar High Street is a delightful statue of a young boy reaching up, to the birds flying above him. It is John Muir. "Who's John Muir?" I asked Bob [who didn't know either]. "Our B&B is in John Muir Gardens, he  must be significant round here" I declared. It was a cold, dark Friday night - we went back to the B&B and I researched JM. As we had a couple of hours to fill on Saturday morning, I suggested we should go back to the town centre, and visit JM's birthplace. 

There we learned that he was an altogether good bloke. Born in 1838, the third of eight children. His father was very strict - the only book needed was the Bible, and any free time should be spent on studying Scripture. John was a typical energetic lad, and he and his brothers climbed out of those high bedroom windows to go out and play in the evenings! He was a very bright lad.

His grandfather took him for long walks in the countryside and along the beautiful coastline, instilling in him a great love of nature, and wildlife. But when was 11, father announced the whole family [but not grandad, sadly] were going to make a new start in Canada. They travelled across the Atlantic, and on the voyage, plans changed and they went to Wisconsin instead and settled on a farm. John was expected to work in the fields after school. His father said he could only read books during the night hours - not waste daylight on frivolities. So the boy read at 1am - and invented an early-rising machine to make sure he didn't oversleep in the mornings. 

He built clocks, thermometers and many other gadgets. His grandfather had given him a precious gold sovereign when they left Scotland - and in 1860, he used it to pay for a trip to the Madison State Fair to show off his inventions. His intelligence was recognised, and this won him a place at Wisconsin University, where he studied chemistry, botany and geology. He became obsessed with the beauty of the natural world, and when his brother went to Canada to avoid being conscripted to fight in the Civil War, John joined him, and spent a year or so hiking, collecting plants, and studying the landscape.

Returning to the States, he got a job in a factory, where is skill as an engineer repairing and improving machines made him very popular. But a terrible industrial accident robbed him of the sight of one eye, and almost destroyed the other. After weeks of convalescence, in a darkened room, he wrote to his mother that his right eye was gone 'forever closed on all God's beauty" He declared he would waste no more time on mechanical inventions, but instead devote his life to "the study of the inventions of God"

He hiked 1000 miles from Kentucky to Florida, then visited Cuba to see the wildlife there. He travelled simply, and was very resourceful when things went awry. He finally settled in California.

It was here he found Yosemite, and fell in love with its wild mountain grandeur, the wildlife, the plants, the rocks...

When he found farmers destroying the landscape, to raise herds and grow crops, he was devastated. He petitioned the President, he founded the Sierra Club [the first ever environmental pressure group] and finally Yosemite was named as a National Park.

Muir was instrumental in founding the National Parks Service.John is regarded as the patron Saint of the American Wilderness. California celebrates John Muir Day on April 21st each year. In 1969, David Brower, who was then president of the Sierra Club, founded the Friends Of The Earth Movement. John's Dunbar home is now an 'interpretive centre' telling his story, and the work of the John Muir Trust

The birthplace is free to enter, the staff are friendly and very knowledgeable. The statue put up in 1997, is by Ukrainian Sculptor Valentin Znoba [and David Simpson, the son of the family which sponsored it, posed as the model for young John. Both Scotland and the USA are rightly proud of all this man achieved. 

I was glad to learn more about him [and Yosemite]  - and wholeheartedly endorse his statement