Hole In The Wall

Customers and staff of Barclays Bank in Long Sutton arrived this morning to find it had been turned into a drive thru after thieves removed the cash machine in the small hours.

We can only hope that there was very little cash in the machine, that dye stain rendered it unusable, and that the perpetrators are caught and dealt justice.

Our Little Piece of the Olympics

I'm not one to get very excited over the Olympics and until this morning, it really hadn't touched my life at all, and probably wouldn't have. However, I do confess now to feeling a tad impressed with the whole thing having seen for myself the torch relay as it came through Long Sutton here in South Lincolnshire. What really struck me was the sheer number of people who came to see it, lining the roads and cheering as the convoy of vehicles appeared led by various police vehicles and motorcycles.

The role of the police in all this has to be praised as they seemed to be having as much fun as everyone else and making a point of stopping to talk to the numerous groups of school children full of excitement and anticipation. A Coca-Cola and Samsung float served to further excite the crowds and heralded the arrival of the torch bearer who jogged past frantically waving at as many spectators as she could. The photos taken must number somewhere in the thousands as almost everyone tried to get that special shot. I managed to capture the whole thing on video which is now preserved for ever thanks to the wonderment of all things digital.
For me, the atmosphere felt electric. There's something about an event like this that does rally people and it was wonderful to see so many people gathered to witness the event. The significance of the whole thing was lost on the groups of 4-6 year old's from the local schools and they seemed more interested in the police vehicles and their playful sirens and flashing lights. Whether they will witness another Olympic Games here in the UK is difficult to know, but it's unlikely. Their memories will be bolstered by the countless numbers of photos and hours of video making today truly unforgettable.
Has it changed my view of the Olympic Games? Yes, I think it has...

Local Festivities... If You Can Get There!

As with all major towns and villages around the UK, celebrations are taking place for the Queen's Jubilee. Long Sutton, my nearest small town has a programme of events spread over the weekend which promises something for all, young and old. Sunday sees a tea party, children's games and music well into the evening and Monday hosts a display of vintage tractors, proms party and beacon lighting.

Of course it is good to see events such as these being held and I have an appreciation of the work and effort that goes into arranging them. But, I cannot help but be incensed by the lack of available public transport enabling people of this area to attend the events. I think it is ridiculous to host an event such as this with scant disregard for transportation. Many people fortunate enough to own and run a car will of course drive to the event and park in one of the three main car parks or park within walking distance of the events. But for many others, the local Call Connect bus service is their only means of transportation and they rely on this service to get them into town to visit shops, banks and the post office. The value of this service should not be underestimated though I do think that greater consideration should be given to those who need the service as much at weekends as they do during the normal week.
The weather will of course play a large part in determining the amount of people who attend and I know that the forecast for the coming two days is far from favourable. Despite this, I am convinced that by providing a bus service between the event and surrounding villages, any such numbers would be significantly increased.

Photo of the Day 5

This photo was taken this morning at the Long Sutton Medical Centre here in Lincolnshire. The Diabetic Retinopathy Screening vehicle visits at least once a year and my father and I have our eyes photographed to make sure there is no damage to the blood vessels. Any damage can be an early indication of possible blindness so it's very important to attend regularly.

Because the weather is getting more and more freaky at the moment, I've included a bonus photo. This was taken mid-afternoon and shows a storm front as it worked its way down from the north-west. A wall of cloud literally turned the blue winter sky an orange-grey and brought with it strong winds and horizontal rain.