Scaling the heights

It was something I didn't want to miss: Whickham Parochial School invited me to look at the garden they have created and take part in a fundraising wall-climbing session. Well, the garden is coming along well and it looks like the kids will make good use of a couple of trays of strawberry plants I donated. But what of this wall climb? Well, it turned out to be 12 metres high and I was due to climb it with the head teacher, Peter Armstrong. So, with both of us suitably kitted out with harnesses, helmets and ropes, and with a class of children cheering us on, we started the climb.

 

Me and Head Peter Armstrong, all kitted up and ready to climb.



Peter takes an early lead in the race to the top.

 

But half way up, Peter decided it was time to head back to earth.



I kept climbing but a couple of metres from the top, I decided it was time to let gravity kick in and bring me down to the ground. So, a fun day and hopefully lots of money raised for the school garden. And it was great to see kids taking an interest in how food is grown.

New Deputy Leader

As news stories go, it is not earthshattering but I have been elected as the new Deputy Leader of the Lib Dem Group on Gateshead Council. And that makes me the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Noel Rippeth, our previous Deputy, retired from the Council at the local elections.

This is not a new post for me. I was Deputy from 1998-2000 but then had to give up because my new job took me to London. That came to an end in 2009, since when I have been based back in Gateshead. I think this is a case of deja vu for me.