End of week one

What a week.

In London for a couple of days to get stuck into an evaluation of 'Fear and Fashion' - a programme of youth work initiatives designed to tackle the phenomenon that is young people and weapon crime. Getting insights into some inspiring work on a hugely difficult issue.

Spent the night at my pal Annette's great flat in the Oxo Tower. She, her husband and I were all knackered so we bought take-away pizza and a bottle of fine wine, slouched on the couch and criticised Grand Designs on the telly.

Waking up in her flat with a great view of St Pauls across the Thames was something else though.

Glad it's Friday. Getting ready to go out to a retirement do for Young Scot's Marcus Liddle OBE a real hero and inspiration to me. (I was at a pal Lily's 60th birthday last week and retirement do this week - what happened to 21st birthday parties and wild weekends?!)

One of the most interesting articles I read this week featured Trevor Phillips commenting on how Barack Obama will not bring on a new post-racial America if he wins. "If he fulfils the hopes of whites, he must disappoint blacks – and vice versa." and "Obama has yet to win convincingly in white districts adjacent to black communities." It's interesting to compare and contrast this level of debate with the book I'm reading right now "Singing in a Strange Land" about the life of CL Franklin - Aretha's daddy and one of the most famous black preachers the States has ever seen. It talks extensively about the many grey area between the church and politics for Black America at a time when people were struglling for the most fundamental civil rights.

day one take 3

getting used to this

day one - take 2

I'm supposed to have a photo here as well

Day one

This is a new tool to me. A fixed point somewhere to communicate my travels and adventures.

I'm an old guy and I'm going to write about work and play that is both old and new.

Thanks to a very old pal Dave for helping to get this started.

Today's travels were destination Lesmahagow in the rain. The Healthy Valleys community health intiiative was thinking about future opportunities for promoting the health of young people in the Clyde Valley. Creating leaderhsip roles for young people now will help ensure the sustainabuility of valuable activities and services beyond the current funding to March 2009.