A death in September

This was going to be a slightly poignant piece about things like the Holdenby Food Fair...

September - trees full of fruit...

... birds gathering in the mist ready to fly off to the sun...

following hay trailers down country lanes, etc., etc... but this has now been overshadowed by the death of an old friend.

Nicholas Corah died in a car crash, typically on his way to a charity event, on Wednesday 1st of September.

I first got to know Nicholas when I was Chairman of Leicestershire County Council and he was 'my' High Sherrif. Together, we were the last such officials to serve the combined Leicestershire and Rutland, later divided by Local Government Reorganisation. Nicholas and I were not natural political allies but he was the most welcoming, friendly man intent on doing all in his power to serve Leicestershire and its good causes.

Many people make money in business and Corah's was a supplier to Marks and Spencers, a major employer in Leicester and a profitable company for many years. on his retirement, Nicholas and his wife Penny set about seeing how they could make a greater contribution to the life of the county and, later, Norfolk where they moved to a few years ago. He was founding chairman of Leicestershire Cares, an initiative which sees major companies provide staff to carry out charitable work. He also headed a fund-raising team which secured £13 million for the University of Leicester.

There's lots I could say about Nicholas Corah but I'll leave it to the local paper, the Leicester Mercury and to the University website to fill in the many details of his life.
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/major-county-figure-dies-crash/article-2597421-detail/article.html

http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/news/Death-founder-hits-charity-s-anniversary/article-2600963-detail/article.html


http://www.le.ac.uk/press/press/businesschampion.html

RIP Nicholas Corah; 23.1.1932 - 1.9.2010

Passing of a good and valued friend

Marea and I are both laid up with flu at the moment, but I had to make the effort to record and mourn the passing of an old friend.

David Taylor MP died of a heart attack on Boxing day while out walking with his family. David was 63 and was planning to retire from Parliament at the next election. I know he and his family were looking forward to spending more time together.

In This age of dishonest politicians, of expenses claims and broken promises, I can, in all sincerity, say that David was the most honest man I have ever met. He was uncomfortable when his party did something against his prinsiples, but instead of complying like so many others, he stood out, spoke out and, thus, did not get promoted to the highest levels.

David worked so hard for the welfare of others, never stinting with his time, but not smarmy, never 'hale fellow, well met' just straight, friendly and concerned.

When others' expanses claime were being investigated, David was exonerated - indeed, he was found to have claimed only half his entitlement.

Tributes have come in from all political sides and all levels. All I can say is; we will miss a good and honoured friend.

Christmas, lights... and deaths

The shortest day has passed, we’ve had our ‘Christmas Starts Here!” party and now all I have to do is wrap a few presents, cook the ham and all is ready. Actually, the party was a bit thinner this year; a number of friends have gone down with flu, but I suppose that does mean they’ll probably be right by Christmas day.

One of our guests was Lord B, an old friend, who brought news of the death of an old comrade and adversary. JS, a past Lord Mayor (1984), (for a biography see http://www.leicester.gov.uk/about-leicester/lordmayorcivic/roll-of-mayors/1928-2000-roll-of-lord-mayors/1980---1989-lord-mayors) and one of my predecessors as Chairman of the County Council, held absolute control of the City Labour Party for years and regarded people like me as dangerous lefties. For many years we wrangled and jousted to gain positions of power and I have to say I admire her assiduity in never letting an elected position go by without fighting for it; never allowing a policy decision to be made without her group’s input, and more, sticking with the fight until she could no longer get about and was struck down by serious illness culminating in her death aged 81. Maybe I’ve mellowed, or maybe all that political wrangling doesn’t seem so important since I left the Party behind, but I think my main feeling was that this was the end of an era.

Incidentally, I’ve been looking at people’s Christmas lights, wondering if the financial situation was causing people not to put up so many lights this year. I don’t think so! This one is on my way home through one of the council estates, but it’s by no means the only one... or the most extravagant.

Of course, OUR lights are very discreet and tasteful,

as are our decorations.

This little nativity we bought in in 1969 in Nassau, Bahamas from a group of nuns at a Christmas sale outside our little white church. We paid $1.

Ivy

I really don’t have much use for ivy as a plant; it climbs all over everything weighing down trees and telegraph wires, but a few strands would about a chandelier seem to add something indefinable.