I have been silent for nearly a year and really should have been putting things down on my blog. What has happened in the past year - well I have been following the Baton Relay around the globe, getting excited for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I went to the Games - and will write a fuller blog on this shortly. I do not think the Games lived up to the fun I had been expecting.
We are moving towards the end of August 2014 - and I should be in bed as I have work tomorrow. I had toast for supper which was nice, and now I am signing off - but dear readers I will return very shortly.
Friday, 22 August 2014
Saturday, 12 October 2013
Queen's Baton Relay - Stage II (South Asia)
The Baton arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport, New Delhi, India at 8.15pm, local time, on 11th October 2013, after a transit stop in Dubai. The Baton was given a ceremonial reception by top Indian sportspersons and officials, including IOA acting head Vijay Kumar Malhotra. Mr Malhotra received the Baton from 2014 Glasgow Organising Committee Vice-Chair and Commonwealth Games Federation Honorary Secretary Louise Martin before being handed to the Indian sportspersons present at the reception.
Other Indian officials who were present included senior IOA officials G S Mander and S Reghunathan as well as Indian Weightlifting Federation Secretary-General Sahdev Yadav. Sportspersons who were present to receive the Baton included discus thrower Krishna Poonia, weightlifter Kutulu Ravi Kumar, shooter Samresh Jung and wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt, Ravinder Singh and Anil Kumar; all of whom won gold medals in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
Queen's Baton Relay - Stage I
On 9th October 2013, the Queen's Baton started its long journey round the Commonwealth. Sir Chris Hoy, Ambassador for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, carried the Baton to Buckingham Palace.
At Buckingham Palace, the Queen inserted her message into the Baton, and watch as the Baton started its journey.
The first destination for the Baton on 10th October 2013 was Stirling University (home of the Commonwealth Games Council for Scotland) where the domestic route was unveiled.
After a reception at Glasgow's City Chambers the Baton left from Glasgow Airport on-board an Emirates flight, en route for India.
Tuesday, 17 September 2013
Sunday, 15 September 2013
Timeline - Sunday 15th September 2013 - Heritage Open Days part 3
Today it was my turn to my bit as a local organiser of Heritage Open Days when the Central Manchester Quaker Meeting House was open from 1pm to 4pm.
I was assistant welcoming friend in the morning, and we had a shared lunch. I was eating my lunch in the concourse with a couple of other friends when Beck, one of the elders, called us into the main room with the prospect of an "announcement". The announcement turned out to be handing me a birthday card which everyone present (children included) had signed and a rendition of "Happy Birthday" - all very nice, and I was touched.
We had 13 visitors during our opening of Heritage Open Days and a number had previously been to visit the Portico Library.
One thing that is a constant bugbear is the lack of publicity for Heritage Open Days in Manchester. A comprehensive guide is produced for Rochdale and for Oldham (and in years past a guide proposed for Tameside and for Stockport; I presume that happened again this year), but nothing for Manchester. I produced my own guide, but it was very basic indeed. The other guides I used were the Rochdale guide, the Didsbury Open Doors leaflet and the Cheetham Festival leaflet.
I was assistant welcoming friend in the morning, and we had a shared lunch. I was eating my lunch in the concourse with a couple of other friends when Beck, one of the elders, called us into the main room with the prospect of an "announcement". The announcement turned out to be handing me a birthday card which everyone present (children included) had signed and a rendition of "Happy Birthday" - all very nice, and I was touched.
We had 13 visitors during our opening of Heritage Open Days and a number had previously been to visit the Portico Library.
Timeline - Saturday 14th September 2013 - Heritage Open Days
Today was my main day doing Heritage Open Days. My main focus for the first visit was to be Emmanuel Church in Didsbury, the home of the BBC daily service.
I got the tram down to Didsbury Village, and as I got out of the tram station there was Didsbury Baptist Church in front of me, so I called in. The welcome was not over-friendly but I got a free cup of coffee; also the building is not particularly special.
I then set out to go to Emmanuel Church, and on the way called in at Didsbury Library. There I was totally ignored. The only thing I could see about Heritage Open Days was a display with the Didsbury Open Doors leaflet. I did discover that the recital at St James's Church on Thursday was music from the coronations; had I known that at the time I would have gone to it.
Just round the corner was the aim of my trip - Emmanuel Church. It was shut! Not open as claimed, because, I learnt, they had not enough staff to run it. Big disappointed. Instead I headed towards St Chad's Church, Ladybarn. Here I got a very nice welcome, and they seemed pleased that a visitor from North Manchester had come to visit them.
They have a community garden which is designed to attract bees. I bought a loaf of bread and a fruit cake from here. I asked one of the stewards the best way to get to St Nicholas church in Burnage and she offered to drive me there. I thanked her, but decided to continue on foot and by bus. St Nicholas Church is not an attractive building, but again I got a friendly welcome.
My next port of call was a building I had wanted to visit for some while, Nazarene College in Didsbury. This has in previous years only been open on the Sunday, so a Saturday opening made it a must visit place. It certainly did not disappoint, and the building used is really lovely.
I had to drop Droylsden and Clayton from my agenda due to missing at tram connection by minutes, and the next tram being 28 minutes later. Instead I went on the Crumpsall and visited St Matthew's Church. I must have passed this building hundreds of times since I moved to Manchester, but this was my first chance to look inside.
I got the tram down to Didsbury Village, and as I got out of the tram station there was Didsbury Baptist Church in front of me, so I called in. The welcome was not over-friendly but I got a free cup of coffee; also the building is not particularly special.
I then set out to go to Emmanuel Church, and on the way called in at Didsbury Library. There I was totally ignored. The only thing I could see about Heritage Open Days was a display with the Didsbury Open Doors leaflet. I did discover that the recital at St James's Church on Thursday was music from the coronations; had I known that at the time I would have gone to it.
Just round the corner was the aim of my trip - Emmanuel Church. It was shut! Not open as claimed, because, I learnt, they had not enough staff to run it. Big disappointed. Instead I headed towards St Chad's Church, Ladybarn. Here I got a very nice welcome, and they seemed pleased that a visitor from North Manchester had come to visit them.
They have a community garden which is designed to attract bees. I bought a loaf of bread and a fruit cake from here. I asked one of the stewards the best way to get to St Nicholas church in Burnage and she offered to drive me there. I thanked her, but decided to continue on foot and by bus. St Nicholas Church is not an attractive building, but again I got a friendly welcome.
My next port of call was a building I had wanted to visit for some while, Nazarene College in Didsbury. This has in previous years only been open on the Sunday, so a Saturday opening made it a must visit place. It certainly did not disappoint, and the building used is really lovely.
I then decided I would visit Droylsden and Clayton. I found my way to West Didsbury tram station and encountered the "open day" at Lapwing Lane Arcade - really just a stall selling raffle tickets and a chance to sponsor glass panes in the Arcade. Not really much interest there.
I had to drop Droylsden and Clayton from my agenda due to missing at tram connection by minutes, and the next tram being 28 minutes later. Instead I went on the Crumpsall and visited St Matthew's Church. I must have passed this building hundreds of times since I moved to Manchester, but this was my first chance to look inside.
The welcome was friendly, though the church is fairly nondescript. I went into the church hall and was entertained by the Crumpsall Concert Band, and had a free cup of coffee and a cream scone. I then caught the 118 bus home and got ready to go to the dance at Brighouse that evening.
Saturday, 14 September 2013
Timeline - Friday 13th September 2013 - Heritage Open Days
Today I had a day off work. I woke late at 9am, and had to get ready quickly as I was helping to set up the hall for my birthday dance that evening at 10.30am. I got there just after, and we put the tables out, got the table clothes on etc. I had a 50th birthday banner which I put across the stage, and with four of us we made quick work of it completing the transformation of the hall by 11.30am.
As it was Heritage Open Day today, I stopped off in Middleton and viewed some buildings there. Three of them I had been to in previous years, but it was still good to visit them again. I had a cup of coffee at the Long Street Methodist Church, and was given a one-to-one guided tour of the school rooms. I then visited St Leonards Parish Church and the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. I also visited All Saints & Martyrs Church in Langley.
I then got dressed into my nines (Prince Charlie Jacket, bow tie and all) and wore the family tartan kilt, went to my birthday dance at St Aidans Church Hall, Sudden.
As it was Heritage Open Day today, I stopped off in Middleton and viewed some buildings there. Three of them I had been to in previous years, but it was still good to visit them again. I had a cup of coffee at the Long Street Methodist Church, and was given a one-to-one guided tour of the school rooms. I then visited St Leonards Parish Church and the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School. I also visited All Saints & Martyrs Church in Langley.
I then got dressed into my nines (Prince Charlie Jacket, bow tie and all) and wore the family tartan kilt, went to my birthday dance at St Aidans Church Hall, Sudden.
The dances were West's Hornpipe, Oxo Reel, Butterscotch & Honey, Pelorus Jack, Napiers Index, Rose of the North and Maxwells Rant in the first half, and Annan Gold, Ian Powrie's Farewell to Auchterader, A Trip to Bavaria, Grey Cairns of Camster, Montgomeries Rant, The Dream Catcher and Machine Without Horses in the second half. Suffice to say I danced every dance.
The cake was made by Pat of the Brighouse Scottish Dance Club, and it looked very nice (it tasted lovely too).
It was nice to see friends from the Gay Gordons (Manchester), RSCDS Manchester and Rochdale branches, Rochdale & District Scottish Society, Brighouse Scottish Dance Club and the Goyt Valley Scottish Dance Club all coming to help me celebrate my 50th birthday. Everyone seemed to have a good time, and I got loads of hugs and good wishes.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)