Get yer kit off….!

….or put your hand in your pocket.

My mate Mike is dropping his drawers and risking freezing his wotsits off in a damned good cause – MIND.

MIND’s mission is to “provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. We campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.”

The NHS regards the Mental Health Service as very much a poor relation, it’s a Cinderella service.

Fortunately the Mental Health professionals working in the NHS are just that, very professional. And devoted to their work. They get the urine extracted from them with abandon.

It’s a bloody shame that they get shat on from a great height when it comes to funding, staffing levels and so on. Oh, and the amount of paperwork that CPNs (Community Psychiatric Nurses – the ones at the sharp end) have to deal with is just disgraceful.

These dedicated folks are working their nuts off (the ones that have nuts) trying to care for the mental health of their sometimes suicidal patients….and then have hours of paperwork to complete – very often in their own, unpaid time. And they don’t get paid that much.

Believe me, I know these things.

You may think that I feel more than a little strongly about this. You would be quite right.

Soooooo…..At sunrise on Sunday 22nd September hundreds of people will take on a mass skinny dip at Druridge Bay in Northumberland. This event isn’t about looking good. It’s about taking a risk, celebrating our unique bodies, being close to nature, raising money for The National Trust and Mind, and maybe even breaking a world record!

Now I’m not particularly mithered about providing extra funding for the NT – I pay them enough in membership fees, but I’m keen to support MIND….although I draw the line at flashing my rude bits around in the North Sea.

So go and visit Mike’s blog and see what the daft bugger gets up to. If you feel you can, please donate a little….or a lot. And if you can, select ‘Gift Aid’, it doesn’t cost you anything more but it increases the amount the charity gets from your donation.

You can donate here.

The photo up top isn’t Mike and his mates by the way, it an image I found at http://assets5.tribesports.com

11th August, Last week was the week that was…

Just some pics:

Flahs:

Shame about the focus on this one

Oh dear x2:

A fine example of a flying kettle, aka Suzuki GT750 2 stroke triple:

I’m fairly certain that’s a non-standard seat

Lymm Rushbearing:

(Anyone spot the Long Suffering Rick?)

Lymm Morris

Marmalade in Manchester:

And in my spare time…

Thursday 26th July, to Brereton, Macclesfield and Gawsworth

My mate Mark is currently unable to drive because of a buggered tendon and I offered to transport him to hospital for his bits to be fettled – in return for which he very generously treated me to lunch at Gawsworth’s  Harrington Arms (rather fine Robinson’s). We usually go to The Harrington to play music at the regular Friday evening sessions.
The journey to Mark’s was slower than usual…and my camera was on the passenger seat of the car:

    What???

 

Lunch stop, The Harrington – we usually go there on a Friday evening to play music. I was there playing music only last Friday, ‘twas a rather very excellent evening!

 

Mark in hop-along mode

Brereton, home to odd-ball bears:

 

Jodrell Bank Radio Telescope, last seen from The Gritstone Trail a couple of weeks ago:

It was good to catch up with Mark – especially being able to enjoy a leisurely lunch with him: thanks Mark!

Privatised Search & Rescue Helicopter Service

Just heard on the BBC Radio 4-type wireless midnight news that American group, Bristows, have won the contract to run the UK Search & Rescue helicopter service from 2015.

The service has been provided by the Royal Navy and the RAF for the last 70 years and currently use rather old Sea King helicopters. The service was formed to rescue downed aircrews during WW2.

Having experienced other privatised services, formerly run very effectively by government departments,  I find this more than a little worrying.

Will the aircrews of the new service be paid by results?
Just how much confidence can 'we' have in a privatised service?
Is this the thin end of the wedge - is compulsory insurance going to be needed by hill-walkers?
Does this mean Prince William is to be made redundant?

What do The People think?

Police warning…

Do not to throw pies snowballs

Our North-East correspondent may not be aware of this police warning spotted in this morning’s Independent and other newspapers – the warning was even broadcast on BBC R4.

He’ll need to behave. That doggy too. These people mean business.

It’s not called Crook for nothing you know.

You can tell when the area's in decline....

Agden in Cheshire