Another few days since I blogged, so sorry for the gaps. Norman and I had a great day at StPaul’s and West Kingsdown Schools. Over 100 children listened to us talking about disasters. I did my best to keep it interesting and a few comments about where you go to toilet if your house has gone, created a lot of interest! Planning and organising the 21-4-21 event has really taken off and is coming together OK. I am sure we will not raise the money we would like but in terms of publicity we have done very well. Spreading the word about the work of Shelterbox is vital. We have an advert on Rotary Radio and subject to confirmation I am due to be interviewed live by Pat Marsh on Thursday 17th June at 2.45pm on his Radio Kent afternoon show. I might remind him how we worked with him in 1985 when I arranged a volley ball match on Ben Nevis. In those days I went to the studios and on the day we did live broadcasts from the summit. Times have changed now so I will be lucky to get a couple of minutes live.
The weather has been really lovely this week and yesterday I had another lake swim, it was excellent again. Over 2k this time. This morning Sue and I did the vaccine marshalling, nice and straightforward as it was for 2nd jab Oxford Zeneka patients. We are up to 22, 000 vaccines now since December but we could be winding it up soon as some surgeries have already. The younger patients now are tending to go to the large centres. I look forward to my Saturday bike rides again, I haven’t had one since last year.
On Monday we expect to hear from Boris on whether or not all restrictions will be lifted on 21st June. Speculation is that he will extend it for another month. No problem to us but hospitality businesses are struggling over no clear guidance. Covid cases are still rising very quickly and I heard today that hospitals are becoming busy again, The rush is on to encourage young people to get their vaccine as this seems the only way out of this pandemic. Still we are much better off than Africa. More vaccines have been given in UK than in the whole of the African continent. A frightening thought. We have to help these poor countries by giving them more vaccines.
