May 2007 Archives

I was reading the newspapers at the weekend and couldn't believe that they can still be dominated by stories of Princess Diana. On this occasion though I think the story was justifiable. It was all about how Channel 4 is planning to show images of Diana as she lay dying. It's ok though, they said, they are going to obscure her face. I think it is totally disgusting, but we have to vote on our feet and show that we will not tolerate this sort of thing being show on our TV screen. People will be horrifed, but I bet that thousands would still be curious enough to watch. If no one tuned it then TV producers will get the message, we don't want this.
The same can be done for Big Brother. I am sick to death of this rubbish being shown on our screens for months on end. If people stop watching we might actually get some quality programmes back.
Saturday nights are dominated by such tosh as Any Dream Will Do and Grease. Basically exactly the same programme with the same format and the same rip off telephone lines that people are encouraged to call. Stop calling these numbers, stop texting, stop watching this trash and maybe, just maybe, we'll get some decent entertainment back on our screens.

I'm a bit excited as I have just made a discovery. Male readers forgive me and I hope female readers understand, but I have just discovered The Elgiva in Chesham is going to show Dirty Dancing the film on July 4.
I know I am a bit of a sad case, but it's my favourite film and I must have seen it dozens of times on video, but I was too young to see it at the cinema when it first came out, so yes, I am excited!
Dirty Dancing has been remastered as it is 20 years since it first hit the big screen. My first copy was on betamax video so to see it at the cinema will be great. It's certainly one for the girls and I am trying to get a group of my friends together so we can sing along the same as we did 20 years ago. The ridiculous thing is I know we will all have a giggle when Patrick Swayze utters those word: "Nobody puts Baby in a corner". You know it is coming, but it is still breathtaking when he says it and you want to cheer, in fact I think we probably will.
I promise I won't be trying to recreate any dance moves though, those days have well and truly gone!

I've just returned from a fantastic weekend away in Ireland. One of the things we all commented on was the fact that Ireland already has a smoking ban in place so you can't smoke in public places. It made a pleasant change to be able to go out for the night and not come home stinking of smoke. I really hate it when you wake up in the morning and your pillow smells of smoke because you were in the pub the night before and your hair has acted like a sponge and soaked up everyone elses cigarette smells. Disgusting! The only problem is that people do tend to gather around the entrance to the pubs to have a fag, which doesn't look very nice, but that's a small price to pay I guess. Roll on July 1st.

I've just been speaking with my news editor Ben Steele and this week's papers are certainly going to be jam packed with news.
For the first time since I have been editor we have a 64 page newspaper, so everyone has been really busy making sure that each page is filled with quality news and pictures.
It looks like the main story for the Advertiser will be the possible murder of someone in Iver. Police raided a home thinking it was a cannabis factory and made the grim discovery of a blood soaked room. They now believe someone may have been killed in the house, but there is no body. We still haven't decided what the splash will be for the Examiner as again there is a lot going on. However, we do have a great story about the fact Lowndes Park needs people to step forward as friends of the park to help with the £1million Heritage Lottery Fund bid. If you live in Chesham and use the park you really should consider joining the group.
We also have two pages of competitions, you can win a hair cut and the chance to have your nails done to celebrate the fact Fake It in Chalfont St Peter has just been refurbished, a watering system for your garden pots and also a weekend break to Kenmare in Ireland courtesy of Forgefield House.
I'm looking forward to seeing the finsihed papers on the news stands on Thursday!

Last night I attended the Chesham Mayoral Awards at Chesham Town Council.
This year I was a judge for the awards, which was a lot harder than it sounds. There were three categories, Business Award, the People's Award - sponsored by the Buckinghamshire Examiner - and the Rafe Chiles Young Persons Award.
I hadn't realised how many people are out there doing things for the town, often with the only reward being the knowledge that they are making a difference to someone.
It was really difficult to choose the winners, but I think eventually the right people have been rewarded.
Next time I hear someone saying that no one cares anymore I'll be able to give them examples of people who do care. Hopefully these awards will inspire more people to make a difference. I look forward to taking part in next year's awards.

her is a link to the winners http://www.buckinghamshireexaminer.co.uk/archives/2007/05/mayoral_awards.html

This year's annual Chesham Carnival on Saturday, June 16 is quickly approaching so I have been thinking about what the newspaper can do to help.
As well as offering a prize for the best non-school float we have now decided to hold a balloon race as these seem popular with people and will be a great way to end the carnival with us releasing hundreds of balloons. The person whose balloon goes the furthest will win a great prize which I am currently trying to organise.
Anyway, I have been looking into how this all works and have been told I need a huge net to hold the balloons in throughout the day. I was amazed to discover this will cost about £50! So I thought I would see whether anyone has done something like this before and happens to still have the net that we could borrow a long shot, but worth a try I thought!
All of the money we raise from the race will go to the carnival.
Tickets will be on sale for £1 from our offices in Germain Street, Chesham and The Vale, Chalfont St Peter, I'll let you know when.
If you can help that would be great. Please give me a call on 01753 888333 or leave me a message below.
If you can't help, then please just pray for sun on June 16th!

In Thursday's newspapers we are launching some exciting new awards called Let's Do It.
We have teamed up with Barclays Bank and are offering £1,000 to a charity as a first prize and two second prizes of £500.
Whether you know of a charity that you think deserves the money or are involved with an organisation yourself then this is the chance to really make a difference.
To enter all you have to do is send us details of the charity, what they do, where they are, why they deserve the award and specifically what they would spend the money on.
Full details and entry coupon will be in all the newspapers on Thursday.
I am hoping we will attract lots of entries and look forward to going through them when they arrive.

I'm having a nightmare at the moment. I've been sent an letter demanding £100 after I allegedly failed to pay a penalty charge notice put on my car in London. The only problem is it was 4.20pm on a Wednesday when I was finishing off the newspapers in Chalfont St Peter. The other thing is that this alleged parking crime took place in September, why has it taken over six months for them to start demanding money?!
I guess one of two things could have happened, the first is that the parking attendant took the number down incorrectly or two someone has cloned my number plate. Seeing as I haven't had any other tickets or speeding fines I am hoping it it the first option.
I didn't pay the congestion charge on that day so I am hoping that will help to clear my car! I've also demanded to see photographic evidence too, so we'll see if after six months they still have that available.
I've just wasted a good hour filling out the form trying to prove my innocence and I now have to wait another few weeks to find out if they believe me. If not I have to take it further. All a real pain and a further waste of my time.
I'll keep you posted as to how I get on.

I do love a Bank Holiday weekend but all too often they lead to an extra visit to the recycling centre. This weekend was no exception.The Mr's parents were visiting and we had some other friends around as well. By Monday morning I was in danger of not being able to get out the backdoor, so I decided to go to the recyling centre in Chesham.
I merrily loaded carrier bags full of cans, glass, plastic bottles and paper and headed off.
The cans, glass ad paper proved no problem, but I couldn't find where to put my empty tonic bottles. After several minutes of hunting around I asked one of the chaps who worked there. "We don't take bottles" he told me, "You'll have to take them somewhere else, or chuck them in with the other rubbish". I couldn't believe my ears. This recently renovated facility doesn't take plastic! I wasn't about to chuck them in with the rubbish after I'd gone to all the effort of sorting them out, so I had to drive to the site in Moor Road where you can recycle your bottles. Now is it just me or does this seem ridiculous? Surely if you can recycle your bottles up the road at a small site you should be able to at the main centre. I really don't understand the logic behind this. Can anyone explain?

I was looking through the property section of our newspaper the other day and it is frightening how much houses now cost in the area.
I feel really sorry for anyone who grew up here and wants to stay in the Chilterns as you would have to be earning the best part of £60,000 a year to even be a ble to get the smallest of flats. If you are single you pretty much stand no chance.
I've spoken to a few friends about this and they say the new trend is for parents to lend their children the deposit and then guarentee the mortgage. It's ridiculous, but I guess if this is the only way people can afford to get on the property ladder then that is what you have to do.
But what about the people who haven't got parents with a spare £20,000 knocking around for a deposit? I guess they either have to accept that renting is the way forward or they have to put themselves in a situation where they are borrowing five or six times their salary.
I love living in this area and appreciate that it is a very desirable place to live, but I don't think I would feel comforatable having a massive mortgage and all my wages going on paying it each month.
Some places are in danger of having only an elderly population with no young families living there as they simply can't afford it.