Merry Christmas

   This week's Latest Images at Ilkeston Cam (www.ilkcam.com) all come from the Tree Festival held in St Mary's Church and another image from there is the basis of this greeting. One of the trees in the Festival was topped by a simple message and with the addition of a couple of photos and a bit of clipart, it enables us to say "Merry Christmas" to all the visitors to Ilkeston Cam.

Life Goes On

   Sometimes when I come to write this spot, I have the words all figured out and search through my archive of images to find one to illustrate it. At other times I look for a recent image and write the words to go with it. A third option is to be motivated by something heard on the news during the week and then take a new image to go along with my thoughts. 

   Then there is this week and the tragic loss of life in the American shooting where so many children lost their lives. Any words at all are so inadequate and no photo taken by me would be fitting but in Ilkeston on Saturday, life went on as normal with shoppers in the town centre looking for Christmas bargains on the Market Place although thoughts of those tragic events across the Atlantic were never very far from anyone's mind.

Overpriced

   What price a cup of coffee? There been a lot of discussion this week about large multinational companies like Google, Amazon and Starbucks and their tax avoidance schemes. Whilst none of these schemes are illegal, much has been made about the moral aspects but if you were in the same position, wouldn't you be just as inclined to pay as little tax as possible?
 
    It does however seem a little odd that Starbucks claim to have made no profit whatsoever whilst trading in the UK. During all that time they have employed and paid a large number of people, traded from numerous outlets and been able to pay their shareholders a dividend. Now they have offered to contribute £20,000,000 over the next two years to the Treasury in lieu of taxes. It just crossed my mind that if they can afford to carry on trading here without making a profit and still afford to pay £20m that they don't need to, then surely what they charge for drinks must be a little excessive. So I ask again - what price a cup of coffee?

Christmas Lights

   And so it begins not that it hasn't been around for several weeks, nay months! As we enter December the first Sunday marks the start of Advent and with Ilkeston's Christmas lights being switched on last Friday evening, the build up to Christmas is well and truly under way.

   On Friday we were treated to a visit by not one but two Santas. Whilst one appeared on the Town Hall balcony and then came down to distribute sweets to the children, another similar figure clad in red and white sat in a Grotto (left) to greet another queue of juveniles. I suppose with the additional work at this time of year the real Santa has to spread the load and it no doubt reduces the jobless total. I wonder if he can claim all the additional suits as a business expense and just where does he pay his taxes? He'll have the Chancellor after him soon.

   You know sometimes I write a load of rubbish here - will have to give it some serious thought come the New Year. Suggestions?

   As is customary with the British psyche the main topic of conversation at the moment is the weather. Heavy rainfall on already sodden ground has caused major flooding and many people are enduring damage to their properties for the second time this year. The Environment Agency has said that work on flood defences since 2007 has prevented the damage from affecting large numbers of people but that's little consolation to those who are suffering.

   Whilst we can all have sympathy for the flood victims, I am still amazed by the fact that plans will be submitted to build more housing estates on flood plains - that's just asking for trouble. A phrase commonly heard after any major disaster is that "Lessons will be learned" but it doesn't seem that they are learned quickly enough. And how often do you hear "It's the hottest/coldest/wettest/driest since .....whenever" which only goes to prove it has been this ... whatever... previously and yet we still get the same thing happening over and over again. Obviously there are still a lot more lessons to be learned.

Blink & You'll Miss It

I was bemoaning the fact that Christmas arrives far too early in the year these days with cards on sale in August and shops decorated by October. Now in mid November although some of the trees are still hanging onto their autumn colours, others have already drifted into their winter appearance and two weeks from now we will be in Advent, the Christian period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Festive lights are being switched on up and down the country - Derby's ceremony took place on Saturday and those in Ilkeston are due to be lit on November 30th. In another six weeks, Christmas will have passed and we'll be on the verge of 2013. Hard to believe I know but that's the truth of it.

Remembrance Day

Ilkeston's Remembrance Day service is usually held at 3:00pm with a similar service at 11:00am being held in Long Eaton. In recent years there have been several calls for the Council to hold Ilkeston's service in the morning too but until this year the call has been resisted as the Mayor can only be in one of the towns at the designated time. This year however, the Mayor's Chaplain is also the Vicar of St Mary's in Ilkeston and the annual service of Remembrance was switched to the eleven o'clock slot with Long Eaton's service at the same time being attended by the Deputy Mayor.

I have attended many of the afternoon services in Ilkeston and there has always been a good turnout but Sunday's was exceptional with twice as many (and perhaps even more than that) standing in silence to honour all those who have paid the ultimate price in two World Wars and many other conflicts. I felt honoured to be among them and if the Council needs any more encouragement to make the Ilkeston service on Remembrance Day at 11:00am a permanent arrangement, they only have to look at the evidence of this year.

Vote, Vote, Vote

Americans go to the polls this week to elect their President and coverage of the campaign has featured heavily on the television news and in the press for what seems a lifetime here in the UK. I'm not sure how the Americans at home are putting up with it and I'm certain the majority of them will be really pleased when the election is over and life returns to normal.

Here in the UK, we will also be going to the polls this month to elect people to the new positions of Police and Crime Commissioner in various areas throughout the country. These new positions will replace police authorities and are a change to the existing establishment. There have been many changes in the UK since the formation of the coalition government following the last General Election and not all of them have been for the better. At the time of writing Barak Obama and Mitt Romney are running neck and neck in the opinion polls, Obama with a slogan of "Forward" and Romney asking for a "Vote For Change". All I would say to the Americans is "Be careful what you wish for". You may not like what you already have but is the change any better?

It's Closer Than You Think

Whilst we were in Derby last week I stopped at an information point in the bus station to see if there were any new leaflets that I hadn't seen before. I picked up a couple concerning Denby Pottery and Haddon Hall. Both were advertising events in December and "Christmas" was a common word on both leaflets. I know I've often said that I think Christmas starts far too early but as I write this, two of my grandsons are making Christmas cakes. They have to be done in October so that they can mature and brandy be added at intervals during November ready for the icing and decorating just before Christmas.
   The weather last week was anything but Christmas-like being dull and mild with a hint of drizzle in the air. Saturday was the exception as a cold blast straight from the Arctic blew away the clouds and sent a shiver down the spine before returning to damp and dreary weather today. It did mean though that the trees showed up really well on Saturday (see picture) in their autumn colours but looking at those leaflets again that I picked up in Derby, I've just noticed a line on the one for Haddon Hall. It says "Christmas is closer than you think" - how true! And I'll tell you something else, with the cakes now baking in the oven and the aroma emanating from the kitchen, it's even beginning to smell like Christmas.

Where's The Logic?

   The Planning Committee of Erewash Borough Council last week gave the go ahead for a Morrison's supermarket to be built in Ilkeston. Whilst I welcome the prospect of a Morrison's in the town, I can't help but feel that the logic of the decision is somewhat warped. The idea that building a new college on the former Magistrate's Court site and attracting 800 students plus 200 staff there will revitalise the town centre is something of a forlorn hope as the new supermarket to be built where the existing college stands will only succeed in drawing shoppers out of the middle of the town. With Tesco's and Aldi at the bottom of Bath Street and Marks and Spencer's, Argos and others on the Waterside Retail Park off Station Road also already taking people away from the traditional shopping areas, the construction of the Morrison's store will only exacerbate the situation.

   The Annual Charter Fair last week shows exactly what is needed to revitalise the town - an attraction in the town centre. Some people do not welcome the annual event but it doesn't take a genius to see the number of people that are drawn into the town when it is being held each October. The answer is surely obvious. To revitalise the town centre there needs to be something there to bring the people in. Development on the edge will not do this - but I am pleased that in the future we won't have to travel out of town any more to shop at Morrison's.

Confusion Reigns

   Last week we were looking at the Stanton Wagon on the island at the northern end of Chalons Way but confusion reigned at the southern end one day last week. The traffic lights at the pedestrian crossing are being replaced and the work is expected to take three or four weeks which has necessitated the closing of one or more lanes at various times. As vehicles approached Chalons Way warning signs indicated the one lane (of two) was closed but one sign showed the left hand lane and another showed the right as the picture below shows. 

   It looks as though the new lights are of a different design to the old ones and the indicators for pedestrians to cross are no longer directly in front but are to one side which means that if someone is standing next to you, then you can't see when they change to green. Also if the lights are the same design as others that have been replaced, there will be no audible signal to aid the visually impaired. If this is progress it is not very good. I doubt that these traffic lights are in the running for any design awards. Confusion will continue to reign even when the warning signs are removed and the work is complete.

Lighting Up The Town

   Cards have been on sale since August; the leaves on the trees are just starting to turn; there's a nip in the air as Autumn makes its presence felt; Ilkeston's Charter Fair is still a couple of weeks away; Hallowe'en and Bonfire night later still and adverts for never-ending sales of furniture and beds have reappeared on TV. To top it all men were working on Bath Street last week stringing coloured lights from building to building.

    It can only mean one thing - Christmas is coming and before you know it, there'll be Easter Eggs in the shops!

*****************

The Stanton Wagon

    The Stanton Wagon has always divided opinion among the townsfolk and now after extensive restoration work it has been returned to its position on the island at the northern end of Chalons Way. Regarded by some as an iconic Ilkeston landmark denoting the town's industrial heritage it was the subject of some criticism when first placed there as visitors to the town may have mistakenly thought the word "Stanton" was the name of the town. The wagon received little or no maintenance and deteriorated badly so the restoration work was costed at over £15000. This project again divided opinion with one section of the community saying the money could be better spent elsewhere but a majority seemed to be in favour of the work and the wagon was removed in February 2012.

    Now that it is back the project has restored it to pristine condition with new parts being added to replace old ones. A fresh coat of paint and treated with sealant to protect it against the weather it looks as though it has just rolled off an assembly line but again it has attracted some negative comments. Basically I think the argument is just how much work has to be done before "restoration" becomes "replica"? Whichever side you come down on, I think most people will agree that it is good to see it back in its rightful place as a reminder of the area's past.

   So it's been a big day in Nottingham this weekend with the Robin Hood half marathon and the local football derby between Forest and Derby. As an ex-referee myself I feel officials are put under extreme pressure in local derby games and on balance in today's match the referee made some really good decisions but equally just as many bad ones. In the end probably the only really good attacking move resulted in the bragging rights remaining with the visitors although who knows what the result would have been with a different official.

   That's just conjecture but there can be no doubt about the next big thing in Nottingham and that will be the annual Goose Fair which runs from the 3rd to the 7th October. Personally I'll wait another couple of weeks for the more intimate and atmospheric street fair of the older Charter Fair in Ilkeston which marks its 760th anniversary in 2012.

A Serious Mistake

   There's been a fair bit of activity on Twitter this week about the stealthy and creeping privatisation of the NHS and although there have been several links posted to newspaper articles and internet blogs, one criticism that has emerged is the failure of the BBC and other media bodies to include it in their news bulletins.

   I know that in our own town, a hospital ward is threatened with closure with more emphasis to be placed on "care in the community" but I fail to see any efficiency in this. Surely it is easier and makes more sense to tend to patients together in one place than to send carers to their homes for an hour or two a day. Is this another example of David Cameron's Big Society? - "Let them go home, fend for themselves and someone else can look after them. They're off our hands now and we'll have room at the hospitals to bring another company in to provide private treatment for a profit."

   In a couple of years when it all goes pear shaped, all he will have to do is say "I'm sorry" à la Nick Clegg and all will be forgiven. Maybe! A petition has been set up to try and prevent the closure (link) but I fear it will need many more signatures to those already added to reverse the decision despite the idea being branded "a serious mistake". How long will it be before another plaque is required to accompany the opening one pictured: "Ilkeston Community Hospital was closed by the ConDem cuts"

Champions!

   Our first walk in the Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival took us past a village cricket match last Sunday afternoon at Denby (see picture) but it was back in May of this year that I wrote "With a summer of sport ahead, the Euros, Olympics and Test Matches to mention but three, I shall be keeping a close eye on the Derbyshire Falcons cricketers who have made a winning start to the season and currently stand top of County Championship's second division."

   True to my word I have followed the fortunes of the Falcons throughout the summer where they have been at the top of the Division 2 table. A wobble recently put their finishing position in doubt right up until the last match against Hampshire but they ended with a flourish and secured the championship in fine style as this video of the highlights of the final day shows. After a decade of disappointment, all involved with the club deserve the heartiest of congratulations and the very best of luck for next summer in Division 1.

 

The Launch

Sorry about the late upload - forgot all about it last week!

   The Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival was launched at the Shipley Country Park Visitor Centre with representatives of both councils in attendance together with many of the Walk Leaders and the Festival Walk Co-ordinator Marion Farrell (centre) of Groundwork Derby and Derbyshire. We hope to participate in several of the walks over the next two weeks.

   Whilst at the launch on Saturday, I picked up another leaflet (as usual) and this one was for the Derwent Valley Discovery Days for 2012. This is another festival that begins later in October and runs for nine days. This festival also includes a number of walks and there are many other activities as well in the World Heritage Site. I've had a quick scan through the programme and there's an on-line version too (linked below) but don't think Morris Dancing for Beginners will be on my agenda. Could be tempted by some of the other events though - we'll see what shape we're in after Autumn Footprints

Walking Festival

   The Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival begins on the 8th September and we've already booked to take part in many of the guided walks on offer. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the annual event so we're looking forward to meeting up with some old acquaintances and enjoying their company again as we trek across a mixture of country lanes and open landscapes. Some of the walks we have done before, others will take us to new territory whilst others will be variations of previous routes.

   With over forty walks to choose from during the sixteen days of the festival, there really is something to suit everyone so all we are hoping for is some fine weather and plenty of photo opportunities such as the one above taken last year at the old lock-up in Alfreton. For details of this year's programme click here.

Zig-Zag

   So another week passes by, another wet Bank Holiday Monday due, another government fiasco regarding GCSE results - did they or didn't they influence the Examining Boards? Another Royal embarrassment by all accounts but I'm still puzzled by what the BBC described as a "naked photo". What on earth is a "naked" photo? I presume it is something different to a photo of a naked person - or am I just being my usual pedantic self?

   To top it all, yet more idiot drivers throughout the week parking on zig-zag lines and one in particular causing mayhem on Saturday. Some things change for the better, some things for the worse - some things never change at all but when an accident happens and someone gets seriously injured or even killed on the pedestrian crossing on South Street, don't say you weren't warned. See The Highway Code Rule 191.

Sunday Trading

   For the duration of the eight week period covering the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Sunday trading laws have been relaxed allowing large shops to open for much longer. Now there are rumblings within government wanting to make this permanent. Whilst I realise that some occupations require Sunday working such as the emergency services and transport workers, Sunday for many people, religious or not, is still a special day of the week when they can spend time at home with their families or enjoy leisure activities.

   For me the relaxation of Sunday trading laws would be the thin end of the wedge and before too long I can see office and factory workers being required to turn up for work on any of the seven days of the week. Already many sporting events traditionally held on a Saturday have spread over into Sunday but taking it to its logical conclusion, if Sunday were to become just another day in the week, I could see major football matches for example being arranged on a Tuesday or a Thursday afternoon so that the Sunday workers could see them on their alternative day off - if they were still entitled to one. No enough is enough, the legislation was altered to accommodate the Olympics and when the games are finished the law should return to its previous state - and stay there. Or is it going to be yet another broken government promise?

A Seven Year "Hitch"

It's been a great two weeks for Britain's athletes at the Olympic Games - the culmination of seven years' planning from when the games were awarded to London and a lifetime of hard work for many of the competitors. As the Olympics were coming towards the end of a fantastic celebration of sporting achievements, my god-daughter Sharon was also celebrating seven years since she met James and on the anniversary of their meeting last Saturday, they became man and wife together. If their marriage is only half as good as the achievements of Britain's athletes then they will enjoy a long and happy marriage together.

   A seven year itch usually means the point where relationships start to cool but in Sharon and James' case, the anniversary would better be called the seven year "hitch" as they tied the knot. Every bride is beautiful but it has to be said that Sharon looked a picture and here's another picture that proves it.

Regeneration. Are You Serious?

There was dancing in the streets last Saturday as music sounded out across the Market Place. It was the music of my youth with some good old rock'n'roll tunes well-known by anyone of my age. Dancers in fifties dress showed how to jive and a large American car with a picture on the dashboard of Elvis was parked nearby. What was it all in aid of? Well nobody, not even the market traders, seemed to know but the general consensus was that it was an attraction to bring custom into the town.

   There were large gaps in the market with several regular traders missing. They could have been on holiday or taken heed of the mistaken weather forecast that predicted heavy rain and thunderstorms, none of which occurred or they may even have taken their wares elsewhere. But it becomes more and more obvious as time goes by that something drastic needs to be done to regenerate the town centre. The proposal to move students into the town centre and build a supermarket on the existing college site defies belief in its logic and common sense. Another supermarket on the edge of the town centre will drive another nail into the coffin of existing small businesses.

    Here's an idea. Car parking charges in Ilkeston deter many people and lead to illegal parking on double yellow lines and pedestrian crossings. In neighbouring Broxtowe, the first 30 minutes on council car parks is free, thus encouraging shoppers. In Long Eaton, Erewash's other big town, there are free car parks at Asda, Tesco and Aldi all in the town centre. In Ilkeston the free supermarket car parks are away from the town centre with those in the middle of town being fee paying.

   If the council is serious about regeneration, then the time is right to review their charging policy. Invest by sacrificing some parking revenue, even if it is only on market days but don't kill town centre trade altogether by being blind to the effect of planning decisions. Those who take the decisions should learn from the success of Team GB in the Olympics. Investment in the right place is what is needed - it will provide its own rewards. Austerity has not worked, is not working and will not work.

The Sounds of Summer

   The clickety-click in the still air of a distant train speeding along the tracks; children laughing whilst at play in a neighbour's garden; the drone of a lawn mower cutting the grass; the buzzing of insects pollinating the flowers; the thud of willow on leather at a cricket match; the crash of thunder as the rain teems down; the bells in the church tower calling people to worship on an otherwise quiet sunny Sunday morning, a Brass Band playing in the park - these are the sounds of summer.

Radioactive

   There was an entirely different atmosphere this Sunday afternoon though as The Carnaby Rocks, Radioactive (pictured) and the Midnight Pumpkin Trucks entertained in an event called "Summer Sounds"from the bandstand in Victoria Park. I suppose one of the sounds I missed in those listed above was the noise of a rock festival but at least we didn't get the squelch of the mud so frequently associated with the likes of Glastonbury!

Reds & Rams

    As the build up to the Olympics continues, sports bulletins on radio and television locally have focussed on Nottingham Forest and the appointment of a new manager. Meanwhile Derby County have stayed mainly under the radar and gone about their business quietly. With Ilkeston lying midway between Nottingham and Derby and the grounds being only fifteen miles apart, it is only too apparent that the town will have supporters of both teams.

   Since being a young teenager in 1959 when my Uncle took me to several league games during the season when Forest won the FA Cup, I have always followed their fortunes and if I had to nail my colours to the mast then they would be red and white. That is not to say however that I wish any ill on Derby. Nothing could be further from the truth as I want them to be successful as well. In fact I want all the local teams to be successful, as to have them compete against each other only adds to the interest.

   It is right to enjoy the rivalry, partake of the witty banter and brag about your team's achievements but when a player is transferred from one team to another, to be openly hostile to him and his new team is totally wrong. How can someone idolised when playing for one team suddenly do nothing right when playing for another. It's the same person with the same skills which should be admired wherever they ply their trade. I've often seen references in the internet forums where members say they "hate" another team and that is something I cannot subscribe to. Yes I follow Forest but equally want Derby to succeed. I often listen to the radio broadcasts on Forest games but what I cannot abide is when the commentator expresses delight if Derby are on the wrong end of a score line in another match being played at the same time. Wouldn't it be great next season to see them both vying for promotion at the top of the league? I think so.

Not Guilty

So the legal ruling then is that John Terry is not guilty of uttering racist words. It seems the only word in his utterances that gave rise to his appearance in court was the only one that was remotely true and that related to colour. Any other result in his trial would probably mean that the large carving of the Ilson "Giant" in Ilkeston's Stanton Road Cemetery where the Friends on the Cemetery held an event this weekend would in future have to be referred to as the Ilson "Big Man" so as not to cause offence to similarly large human beings.

The John Terry case however does raise another issue. When I was a local football referee directives were often issued by the Derbyshire Football Association urging officials to apply the Laws of the Game and dismiss players from the field of play for using foul and abusive language. Whatever the outcome of the John Terry case, it must be admitted the he and probably many more players on the pitch that day were guilty of using such language. Going back to my refereeing days it was common knowledge back then that the higher up the football ladder you rose as an official, the less likely you were to be promoted even higher if you sent players off for bad language as many games would have to be abandoned due to there being insufficient players left to finish the game.

It seems then that the problem that eventually led to the legal case is of the Football Association's own making by not insisting the Laws were applied at the highest level of the game. They have done a lot of work to remove racism from football so maybe the time is now right for them to turn their attention to the Laws of the Game and remove the bad language too.

Cancelled Again

Ilkeston's Carnival was cancelled a few weeks ago due to the bad weather in what became the wettest June since records began. Early last week news filtered through that the proposed Steam Rally at Elvaston scheduled for this weekend also became a victim of the weather as did Awsworth's "Party on the Rec." On Friday a torrential downpour when it was forecast that a month's rainfall would drop on the East Midlands in one day caused Derbyshire's evening T20 cricket match against local rivals Nottinghamshire to be called off before lunch. Add to that Ilkeston FC's pre-season friendly at home to Skegness together with their Family Fun Day plus the Ashfield Festival in Nottinghamshire.

I'm expecting a government announcement any time now that summer is cancelled for 2012. We can only hope it improves by the start of the Olympics otherwise the only events possible will be water sports - at all the venues!

Choices

As I have written before, some weeks it's a problem finding somewhere different to go for the Latest Images page at Ilkeston Cam and other weeks are just the opposite with a multitude of events from which to choose. This last week fell into the latter category. I could have gone to Nottingham on Thursday for the Olympic Torch Relay or Derby on Friday for the next stage in the relay. Both those events would have meant an early morning or late evening outing so we opted for a daytime trip to see the torch in Matlock instead.

At any other time I would probably have chosen the "Swing Back to the Forties" event at the Erewash Museum again for the latest images which was advertised as part of the ongoing Ilkeston Festival. The Forties event coincided with Armed Forces Day which has also been observed in Wollaton Park over the weekend. At a push I might have featured some scenes from the horrendous weather and storms that swept across the East Midlands during the week. So I really was spoilt for choice - but next week, now that's a different story but I'm sure something will turn up.

The Longest Day

It was the northern hemisphere's summer solstice last week which is generally referred to as being the "longest day". This actually means it's the longest day of sunlight whilst south of the equator it's the shortest. Some say that it also marks the start of summer but given that some places in the north of England had the equivalent of a month's rainfall on Friday night and Saturday morning, I don't think there will be many celebrating the new season. Once again communities have come together to help and support each other.

Monday June 25th of course was the midpoint between Christmases and means that the nights will now begin to draw in and we will be closer to Christmas Day 2012 than Christmas Day 2011. Now doesn't that make you feel better? No, I didn't think so - but as we're now officially in summer, we'd better make the most of it. Besides Wimbledon has started and that guarantees good weather doesn't it? I'm sure we had bad summer weather when I was young but I tend to remember only the sunny days.

Picture of the Week

I made the news this week - or rather one of my photos did. The image of the flower beds on the island at the southern end of Chalons Way was chosen as Ilkeston Advertiser's Picture of the Week. It also goes to show what good taste the visitors to Ilkeston Cam must have as over 90% of those who voted on the Latest Images page also chose the photo as their favourite. I still don't think of myself as a photographer but merely as a taker of snapshots who occasionally gets a good picture.

There was also a surprise in the same newspaper for an old black and white photo submitted by a reader for the Memory Lane spot showed a party of Charnos factory workers and their families on the platform of Trowell Station. The party was on its way to the Festival of Britain in 1951 and there in the middle of the photo is a man wearing a trilby hat with a little boy standing in front of him. That man was my Dad and the little boy, yours truly. My Mum who worked at Charnos must have been there too but I can't actually see her on the photo. It's somehow appropriate on this weekend when Fathers' Day is celebrated that the old picture is featured this week. It's also quite spooky - two photos with a personal link!

Cancelled Carnival

There was huge disappointment all round this weekend as the Annual Carnival had to be cancelled. It was not surprising really as the strong winds and heavy rainfall during the preceding week had left puddles on the car park (left) at the recreation ground and the ground itself was waterlogged. It would have been folly to stage the carnival here.

I think it was last year the the Summer Happening on Victoria Park also had to be cancelled due to similar conditions. Not only is it disappointing for the general public when these things happen but it is even more so for the organisers and charities who would normally have benefited from the events.

The truth is though you can look elsewhere and always see someone worse off. For example this week in west Wales, people have been driven from their homes by flash floods but it is in the face of such tragedies that communities come together to help each other. The people of Wales will come back even stronger, Ilkeston will have another Carnival and communities will continue to thrive. Life will go on with or without the help of the government. And David Cameron thinks the "Big Society" is something he thought up. Come into the real world David; open your eyes and see what has been happening for years. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-18387529

Jubilee

Prince Charles was on TV the other night in a documentary for the Diamond Jubilee. In it he claimed to have a vivid memory of his mother wearing the heavy crown whilst practising for the Coronation. That may well be so but personally I find it difficult to remember anything at all from when I was just four years old. One thing that does stick with me from infants school was when someone had a birthday. Friends were chosen to stand in front of the whole school holding candles aloft whilst "Happy Birthday" was sung. I dreaded being chosen as I hated the hot candle fat running down my fingers. Another early recollection from my childhood was as a six year old but even then I only have vague memories of a visit to the Festival of Britain in 1951.

I suppose if your mother is the Queen then perhaps it is possible that you will remember grand occasions from when you were a young child. Having said that for many years, I had a vivid picture in my mind's eye of a fire in a row of garages off South Street in Ilkeston and my uncle and my dad pushing cars out of the flames. As far as I can ascertain, if such a fire did occur, it was about a year before I was born and there's no-one left in my family to ask anymore. One suggestion that has been made is that I overheard a conversation whilst at an early age and this has been transformed into a memory. Maybe the same happened to Prince Charles but maybe he does in fact remember. Who am I to say?

Entertainment

   Whilst attempting to complete the Latest Images page on Saturday night I had one eye on the television. On one channel we had The Voice followed by the Eurovision Song Contest. It seems the object of The Voice is for the wannabes to shout and scream as loud as possible and "put their interpretation" on some well known songs. That version of "Bohemian Rhapsody" was truly horrendous but the "coaches" offered their expert advice which most of the time amounted to "Yeah, well, er, like, it's great!" No doubt the winner will go on to overnight success but whether he/she will achieve the lasting success of someone like Engelbert Humperdinck I rather doubt.

   Now I saw Engelbert when he was still Gerry Dorsey and was only a support act but he learned his trade the hard way. Singing the UK's entry in the Eurovision Contest, he was unfortunate enough to be drawn first and fell victim to the political voting that has become a feature of the competition finishing near the bottom of the final scoreboard. He has a long and glittering career behind him but why on earth we, as a country, still participate in this farce is beyond me - why we still watch it makes me begin to doubt my own sanity!

   They say you can't have too much of a good thing but The Voice and Eurovision for Saturday evening viewing is too much mediocrity. How on earth did we allow our weekend TV programmes descend to this level? But whatever the programme, it seems there is more emphasis today put on dance routines, flashing lights and pyrotechnics rather than the songs. They could all learn from the likes of Don Williams (pictured) who just comes on stage, sits down, picks up his guitar and, backed by quality musicians, just sings his songs. That's entertainment!

Second Best

So Chelsea are the Champions of Europe then but by all accounts they were second best for most of the match. Blackpool too had the better chances in their play-off final against West Ham but ended up on the wrong side of the score line. And all this at the end of the week when Roy Hodgson, the new England manager, announced his squad for the Euro Championships to a less than enthusiastic response. With only four strikers in the twenty-three man squad and one of them banned for the first two matches, plus a virtual unknown who has never represented his country before at senior level, it does not take a genius to predict the team's tactics. Full of expectancy England's fans again will probably be treated to some dour struggles but if the results this weekend are anything to go by, the omens look good for a second best team to triumph and it might as well be England - but don't hold your breath as it could all end in heartbreak again!

With a summer of sport ahead, the Euros, Olympics and Test Matches to mention but three, I shall be keeping a close eye on the Derbyshire Falcons cricketers who have made a winning start to the season and currently stand top of County Championship's second division. It's been a long time since the Falcons enjoyed any real success but IF the year of the underdog continues it will be a refreshing change to see them flying high and ending the season on top.

Speculate to Accumulate

It was Motorcycle Day at the Erewash Museum on Saturday, one of several free events that are being held throughout the year. We've already had the Rock & Roll Birthday Party in April and Circus Week and Swing Back To The Forties are two more events lined up for June.

And yet it was only in 2004 that there were fears the museum was about to be closed as the council looked to balance the books (Newspaper report). Fortunately local pressure and the work of the Friends of Erewash Museum meant that the threat of closure was removed and last year it won the coveted Derbyshire Museum of the Year award. Last week we were celebrating the Green Flag award in Victoria Park where another investment has reaped its just reward. Perhaps there's a lesson there for our government in Westminster - instead of cut, cut cut, a policy of investment is needed to revive our economy. As someone else once put it, you have to speculate to accumulate. Investment in our country and our people will bring its own rewards.

Cup Finals

Flags and banners were being waved by supporters of Chelsea and Liverpool at the weekend as the teams fought out the FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium but for me the cup has lost a lot of its appeal. I think I've seen every Cup Final for as long as I can remember. I can even recall gathering with family members around a black and white screen at my grandmother's to watch the infamous Matthews Final in 1953 and later saw Forest beat Luton in 1959. Unfortunately although I was alive, Derby's success in the same competition came just too early for me to recall.

I even visited the old Wembley Stadium later with refereeing colleagues for more recent finals but the days when the Cup Final was the climax of the season appear to be long gone. Gone too are the days when "Final" really meant the final game of the season. Now with play-offs and even league fixtures to be fulfilled after the Cup Final date, it just doesn't seem right. Even on Saturday, the same day as the Cup Final, there was a full fixture list in some of the Divisions which is probably one reason, another being TV rights, for the kick off to be at 5:15 rather than the traditional 3:00 in the afternoon. I wasn't really bothered who won the match, the powers that be have relegated the Final to just another match. It's a shame but for me at least, the magic of the Cup has been eroded and I'm losing all interest - until next season of course!

Spooky

Do you believe in coincidences? Well how spooky is this? As we were walking home from church this morning a car pulled up at the top of Market Street and the occupants were looking at the Cenotaph. The weather was atrocious with the rain teeming down and it really was not a day for sightseeing at all but the couple were in the area for a wedding celebration and having come all the way from Cheshire, were taking the opportunity to investigate some family history.
 

It transpired that the lady was the sister of the late character actor Derek Nimmo (1930-1999) and also related to Harry Tatham-Sudbury, the architect of many iconic buildings in Ilkeston, the Cenotaph being one of them. We were able to give directions to other places in the town that they wanted to see that Harry had designed and answer some of their questions. The lady was armed with a folder full of genealogical information and a number of sheets showing photographs that she had downloaded from the internet, photographs very familiar to myself as they came from the Town Walk on this site. Now what are the chances of that? Of all the people in Ilkeston, on a Sunday morning in the pouring rain, two people from Cheshire bumping into someone who had actually taken the photos of the places they were looking for. Now that's spooky!

Rock & Roll Party

The Erewash Museum in Ilkeston turned back the clock to the rock and roll years on Saturday 21st April 2012. With live rock and roll music from Glenn Darren and The Krew Katz, there were also period cars and fashions and the event was sponsored by the Friends of Erewash Museum as part of the Museum's 30th birthday celebrations.

A Station For Ilkeston

There was a final push in the town centre on Saturday to gather signatures for a petition calling for a return of a railway station to the town. Now whilst I think this is a good idea, I cannot wholeheartedly support the campaign as logic and common sense tells me the preferred location is in the wrong place. Ilkeston Junction is served by one half-hourly bus service and access to a station there will only increase traffic along Station Road when the stated objective is to reduce it there. The narrow railway bridge over the line, is rusting away and is desperately in need of repair Four councils, Erewash, Broxtowe, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire would all be involved in the planning process at this location.

   My (and probably many other people's too) preferred location would be on the old Trowell Station site. This involves only two of the councils, is served by two bus routes, the Two every 12 minutes and the 15 every 20 and the bridge over the line was replaced about eight years ago. Access is much easier for the majority of the town's population and would not exacerbate the Station Road situation.

   Talking to our MP on Saturday who is pressing for the new station, I was informed that it is hoped to introduce a shuttle bus service from the new station to the town centre to bring students in to the relocated Derby College. The problem there is the plan intended to regenerate the town centre is to build a supermarket on the existing college site thus having the opposite effect by drawing people away from the town centre. All parties involved should get their act together as at the moment there is a distinct lack of joined up thinking.
 

   I don't write these things purely and simply because I've reached the "grumpy old man" stage of life although that may have a bearing on the tone. Being born and bred here and having lived in the town all my life, I care for the place. I wouldn't have being doing my bit to try and promote it for the last ten years with the Ilkeston Cam website if I didn't. But seeing the detrimental effect Ilkeston has suffered with previous well-intentioned decisions, it's vital we get this one right and logically the best place for a station is the former Trowell Station site.

Out Of The Silence

The silent procession by Christians from churches in the area as an act of witness on Good Friday was a rather sombre occasion. A leaflet handed out included: "So 'Out of the Silence' we thank our God for His gift of Jesus and as we recognise Him as the one who took our place, we join in our worship. We will not be silent on Easter Day as we celebrate that the Jesus who was crucified and put in a tomb was brought back to life by the same love that allowed Him to die on that first Good Friday."

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!

Weather For Fools

I originally wrote the following on April 1st for the Ilkeston Cam website but forgot to copy it to Blogger.

---------------------------------------

I thought I'd give you a rest this week from another pet peeve although there are several more that I could easily give voice to. There's plenty of time to return for a good whinge later so this week I'll turn my attention to something else.

After a week of really fine weather with relatively high temperatures for the time of year, the weather forecast today is for a drop to the seasonal average and even a slight possibility of snow tomorrow! Now I know that's it's April Fool's Day but can we really be expecting a return to scenes like this picture? I still maintain there's no such thing as global warming or as the experts are now calling it, climate change. I'm more inclined to believe my own theory of calendar slippage. I just hope that last week wasn't our summer and we are now moving into autumn. But no, it's still only spring and the falling temperatures will certainly be putting a spring in our step in the next few days. England must be one of the few places in the world where you can experience all four seasons in a few days!


To be interested in the changing seasons is a happier state of mind than to be hopelessly in love with spring. - George Santayana (1863 - 1952) 

Pet Peeve No. 2

Following on from the gripe about Mother's Day/Mothering Sunday, another pet peeve reared its ugly head this weekend with the switch from Greenwich Mean Time to British Summer Time. With the advent of the internet, email, video conferencing and 24/7 trading I really don't see the need to switch time systems twice a year. The old argument that we need to be in line with our European neighbours no longer holds water.

On a personal note it usually takes my body clock two weeks to adjust each time the change takes place. I wish they would just decide on one system - GMT or BST, I really don't mind - and leave it at that. I'm sure I'm not the only one who regards this leftover for the war years as an unnecessary evil.