I have a week. It seems like a long time, but it isnt really. I have a week to convince you that I will listen to you. Last May I finally had enough of politics and politicians not listening. I don't think I'm anything special. Just a local guy with normal problems. But when the council and governments don't do the right thing, the choice was simple: carry on shouting at the TV or do something about it.
That leads me to today and my last day at work before annual leave. Its been tricky balancing home, work and campaigning on your behalf, but I believe that it was the right thing to do.
To those of you who have received your postal votes, and to everyone who will taken time out of their day next Thursday - ask yourself this:
Which candidate personally posted their leaflet through your door? Which candidate have you seen down your road? Who was the person knocking at your door? Who has been doing this for months, not days?
We have less than a week to take back our community...
Thursday 28 April 2011
Sunday 24 April 2011
Happy Easter
Good morning,
I hope that youre having an enjoyable weekend and a very special day today.
The reason for my early morning blog, was to say thank you to those colleagues who came out to door knock in Millbrook yesterday. A special mention must be given to Alan Whitehead, our MP and Meg Hillier MP, who is the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. Meg took time out of her busy schedule, to come down to Millbrook and speak to residents on the doorstep.
A big thank you Alan, Meg and the rest of team Millbrook.
I hope that youre having an enjoyable weekend and a very special day today.
The reason for my early morning blog, was to say thank you to those colleagues who came out to door knock in Millbrook yesterday. A special mention must be given to Alan Whitehead, our MP and Meg Hillier MP, who is the Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change. Meg took time out of her busy schedule, to come down to Millbrook and speak to residents on the doorstep.
A big thank you Alan, Meg and the rest of team Millbrook.
Friday 22 April 2011
A weekend of fun..?
It’s been a long campaign so far, and things are going to get even busier as we look to take back our city on 5th May. I updated my diary and shared it with my wife yesterday. She was amazed that I have one evening off until after the election. I’m not sure if amazed was the right word, more concerned!
Since last May I have personally spoken to almost 60% of the people of Millbrook, which is very good going considering the 6,000 homes we have in the ward! However, now is not the time to let up as I have more leaflets to deliver and yet more doors to knock over the next two weeks.
With good weather and the Easter weekend ahead of us, don’t be surprised to see me and my campaign team in your area!
I hope whatever you are doing over Easter, you have a great weekend.
Sunday 17 April 2011
Not long now!
Just a quick post from me this week. As you can see both I and the party have been actively campaigning in our community for many months now. In a little over 2 weeks you have the power to shape Millbrook.
Over the past few days it has been fun adjusting to a new caledar, as my campaigning has gone from my regular 3 times a week to 5 times a week in the run up to the election and my annual leave.
As well as leaflets going out, I will be continuing to knock on doors over the coming days. Thankfully I have managed to speak to a significant number of residents, so its not always a case of introducing myself, but rather saying hello to people again.
Lastly, I just wanted to say thank you to those friends, family and members who have helped to support me over the past months, but also today - which was Super Sunday! Lots of leaflets and door knocking, and a badly cooked spag. bol. thrown in for good measure.
Not long now!
Over the past few days it has been fun adjusting to a new caledar, as my campaigning has gone from my regular 3 times a week to 5 times a week in the run up to the election and my annual leave.
As well as leaflets going out, I will be continuing to knock on doors over the coming days. Thankfully I have managed to speak to a significant number of residents, so its not always a case of introducing myself, but rather saying hello to people again.
Lastly, I just wanted to say thank you to those friends, family and members who have helped to support me over the past months, but also today - which was Super Sunday! Lots of leaflets and door knocking, and a badly cooked spag. bol. thrown in for good measure.
Not long now!
Thursday 7 April 2011
4 Weeks Today..!
It seems like yesterday that I was proudly chosen as the Labour Party Candidate for Millbrook. In fact, over the past 7 months, there have been a great many changes in the world, within our community and within my own personal circumstances, but more of that anon...
It’s been a real eye opener for me, going from an armchair critic to prospective "politician" in one swift movement. It is quite funny how people on the doorstep can brand you by saying "you're all the same", but up until a few months ago I was one of those who felt I wasn't being listened to as well! But, like I have said a number of times, I decided that if those with power in our community weren’t going to listen to common sense, I would have to make them.
It’s time for an alternative to the typical Tory ideas. It’s time for common sense. It’s time for local people to come up with local solutions based on local knowledge.
However, rather than just wax lyrical for this particular post I thought I should update you on my activities over the past two weeks - all whilst trying to not get made redundant, and maintain a degree of home life!
On Monday 28th, I crossed the river to help campaign in one of the Itchen wards of Southampton. It is important to support colleagues, as well as concentrating on Millbrook, as without more Labour Councillors, the Tories will still control our Council.
I spent much of Tuesday evening trying to get hold of a new shirt as I had managed to dye my white one a lovely shade of pink the night before!
Wednesday 30th was a busy evening as the Southampton Labour Party held a fundraising event (hence the shirt issues the night before!) but not before I attended the IPC Consultation event at Holy Trinity Church on Auckland Road. In summary the IPC event went off well, with more locals becoming aware of the problems that lay before us. At the Labour evening, although sat on the Top Table, I didn’t get to spend much time talking to the guest of honour, Shadow Secretary of State for Health John Healey MP. This was because my loving community nurse wife spent most of the evening telling him how he should manage the NHS!
Thursday was MOT day and a home visit from a lovely healthcare professional from the MARS team based at Pickles Coppice Surestart...On Friday 1st April, myself and my wife attended the Princess Anne Hospital for our (her?) 12 week scan.
I am proud to announce that my beautiful, clever wife is pregnant!!!
We hope to be blessed with our first child on 7th October 2011.
Apart from being over the moon on Saturday, I was up early for another Saturday delivering leaflets. I may have overdone it 5 hours later, but I didn’t want to feel guilty about taking mother’s day off.
Mothers Day was great, spending most of it doing chores around the house, and catching up with my family, who I felt I'd been neglecting of late. Sometimes in "politics" you get wrapped up in trying to sort out the worlds issues that you forget to make time you your own problems!
On Monday of this week, fellow party candidates and councillors from across the city came to Millbrook to canvass voters on the doorstep. Appreciated not everyone has time for a chat during their tea or whilst Eastenders is on, but we got some really good feedback from residents in King Edward and Cecil Avenue.
On Tuesday evening, with a month to go, I roped my brother Stuart into helping me deliver leaflets, around the top end of Foundry Lane. It was the first time out and about on the campaign trail, and as he said, it wasn’t as bad as he thought and he was pleased that my face wasn’t all over this one.
Yesterday I had a day off from politics and spent the night in front of the TV with my wife and rescue dog.
And so to this evening? Another night off? Nope. Out and about in Redbridge ward, finishing off delivering a round of leaflets before coming home to write this.
I hope you can see how committed I am to our community. Its 4 weeks to go until Election Day.
It’s been a real eye opener for me, going from an armchair critic to prospective "politician" in one swift movement. It is quite funny how people on the doorstep can brand you by saying "you're all the same", but up until a few months ago I was one of those who felt I wasn't being listened to as well! But, like I have said a number of times, I decided that if those with power in our community weren’t going to listen to common sense, I would have to make them.
It’s time for an alternative to the typical Tory ideas. It’s time for common sense. It’s time for local people to come up with local solutions based on local knowledge.
However, rather than just wax lyrical for this particular post I thought I should update you on my activities over the past two weeks - all whilst trying to not get made redundant, and maintain a degree of home life!
On Monday 28th, I crossed the river to help campaign in one of the Itchen wards of Southampton. It is important to support colleagues, as well as concentrating on Millbrook, as without more Labour Councillors, the Tories will still control our Council.
I spent much of Tuesday evening trying to get hold of a new shirt as I had managed to dye my white one a lovely shade of pink the night before!
Wednesday 30th was a busy evening as the Southampton Labour Party held a fundraising event (hence the shirt issues the night before!) but not before I attended the IPC Consultation event at Holy Trinity Church on Auckland Road. In summary the IPC event went off well, with more locals becoming aware of the problems that lay before us. At the Labour evening, although sat on the Top Table, I didn’t get to spend much time talking to the guest of honour, Shadow Secretary of State for Health John Healey MP. This was because my loving community nurse wife spent most of the evening telling him how he should manage the NHS!
Thursday was MOT day and a home visit from a lovely healthcare professional from the MARS team based at Pickles Coppice Surestart...On Friday 1st April, myself and my wife attended the Princess Anne Hospital for our (her?) 12 week scan.
I am proud to announce that my beautiful, clever wife is pregnant!!!
We hope to be blessed with our first child on 7th October 2011.
Apart from being over the moon on Saturday, I was up early for another Saturday delivering leaflets. I may have overdone it 5 hours later, but I didn’t want to feel guilty about taking mother’s day off.
Mothers Day was great, spending most of it doing chores around the house, and catching up with my family, who I felt I'd been neglecting of late. Sometimes in "politics" you get wrapped up in trying to sort out the worlds issues that you forget to make time you your own problems!
On Monday of this week, fellow party candidates and councillors from across the city came to Millbrook to canvass voters on the doorstep. Appreciated not everyone has time for a chat during their tea or whilst Eastenders is on, but we got some really good feedback from residents in King Edward and Cecil Avenue.
On Tuesday evening, with a month to go, I roped my brother Stuart into helping me deliver leaflets, around the top end of Foundry Lane. It was the first time out and about on the campaign trail, and as he said, it wasn’t as bad as he thought and he was pleased that my face wasn’t all over this one.
Yesterday I had a day off from politics and spent the night in front of the TV with my wife and rescue dog.
And so to this evening? Another night off? Nope. Out and about in Redbridge ward, finishing off delivering a round of leaflets before coming home to write this.
I hope you can see how committed I am to our community. Its 4 weeks to go until Election Day.
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