Midsummer

Well, since my last post I have completed the Race for Life in a time of 27 minutes, 35 seconds, which I’m told is very good! I impressed myself, certainly, and have to admit I enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone who so generously supported me, I’ve raised £450 for Cancer Research so far but money is still coming in.

The launch on 1^st July has, very frustratingly, had to be postponed. There are acres of red tape and bureaucracy to battle through and it seems that it won’t be completed in time for the launch. It’s a shame as we’ve worked so long and hard to so many deadlines and to have stalled at the last hurdle is dispiriting but there’s nothing we can do about it. Further news about the launch will, therefore, be delayed.

I have very happily completed most of the web-site content although, inevitably, have found more since I finished it. I am making a little list of things to add myself when the content management system is ready. A lovely, if not time consuming, task now is to listen to the six or more hours of interview I have recorded and select pieces of film and audio to include on the web-site. It’s a pleasant enough job but I underestimated how much concentration it takes – there’s no doing two things at once while trying to listen.

Tomorrow sees the start of Goldcoast Oceanfest at Croyde and I will be going along for the Education Day. I‘m very much looking forward to being out from behind the desk but I’m sure I join the organisers in praying for good weather – the forecast doesn’t look too promising at the moment! Yesterday I met Tony Koorlander to discuss the area’s military history and links with America, he’s very interesting and has some fascinating material so hopefully something exciting will begin to take shape there. This week I have also caught up with my millions of emails, straightened the finances, touched base with everyone and made an enormous chocolate cake which, although messy, seems to have gone down well with the girls at the office J

It’s hard to believe it’s nearly midsummer already; roll on the sunny weather....

I'm back!

I'm back and yes there has been an enormous gap since I last wrote. Very sadly my Mum died on 15^th May after an enormously brave battle with cancer. She was first diagnosed 22 years ago and it was her determination and resilience that kept her fighting to the end. The last few weeks have been pretty strange, but things are gradually falling into place now and settling into a routine again and I am back to contemplating the mountain of work in front of me!

Having said that, the past week has seen some wonderful developments. The Braunton Explorer devices have been delivered, in part, which means that we’ve been able to get testing underway with 17 of the 30 devices. Parts of the devices are being shipped from China and were delayed by the earthquake, so the remainder will be a little longer in reaching us, not too long I hope. Testing has been interesting and certainly worthwhile; it’s highlighted some issues we hadn’t thought of before. The situation is positive though and I feel confident that we’ll be ready in time for the official launch, which will hopefully take place on 1^st July (to be confirmed this week).

In addition to the Explorers coming online, I have been working long and hard on the content for the web-site so that I can give our extremely patient web-designer, Pete, something to work with before July. I can’t wait to see what it looks like and have amassed almost 80 pages of archive information text, with almost 250 images, to which will be added several video and audio clips – watch this space. Some have joked that I’ve more or less written a book!

In other areas of the project, Dave Edgcombe has kindly handled planning of a new information board for me. It is hoped that it will go in the centre of the village and represent a parish map; Dave has attended a parish council meeting on my behalf this evening. I am having some downloadable leaflets produced and will shortly get to grips with planning the launch event – all very exciting.

In the meantime though, I am training for the Race for Life, which takes place in Barnstaple on Sunday 15^th June at 11.00am. I have been truly touched by the amount of sponsorship that people have given and thank everyone sincerely for donating so generously for Cancer Research. My Mum would have been very proud; all I have to do now is make it around the 5k (3.1 mile) course with as much style as I can muster!

...Nearly forgot, I am in June's edition of Devon Life in the article called 'What the Locals Say'. There's a great article there about Braunton and a fairly decent bit about me :)