Off to support Gen Kitchen in Wellingborough By-Election on Thursday 15 Feb 24

 

I have booked annual leave for next Thursday to travel up to Wellingborough to support the Labour Candidate, Gen Kitchen, in the Parliamentary by election. Gen was brought up in Northamptonshire but has lived in Newham. She was an excellent local Councillor and I am sure will make a great MP. 

A number of Newham member are also going to help on the day and I hope my West Ham Councillor Colleague, John Whitworth, will be coming since he was also born and bred in  Northamptonshire. 

You can register on the Labour Party website here https://events.labour.org.uk/event/400426 if you can join the team on polling day. 

London Marathon 2012 Training Wk 7: Wanstead Park

Due to winter darkness I've found it difficult to keep to the training programme during week days.  I don't like running in the dark because of the risk of tripping up. But you have little choice at this time of the year. Roll on winter solstice which will be on the 22nd of December. Not long now to go.

Run of the week was on Saturday. After my Council surgery I went for a 70 minute Fartlek (Swedish for "speed play" - a form of interval training) in glorious sunshine and blue skies. Starting across Wanstead Flats and into Wanstead Park via Park Road. I basically did two circuits of the Park (including one sprint up the Long Walk which I was pleased about) then back home in between the railway and the City of London Cemetery. Sore legs and in some pain for rest of day!

It is amazing nowadays that this park use to be part of a massive Country estate. A contemporary rival to Blenheim Palace no less. In 1805 the state was passed to a "Catherine Tylney-Long, who thereby became the richest heiress in England". In 1812 she made a disastrous choice of marriage to a William Wellesley-Pole (nephew of the Duke of Wellington).  Who due to his "dissipation and extravagance" caused family bankruptcy and the Country House to be demolished in 1825.

Picture is of the the approach to the Temple which was an estate building dating from the 18th Century, which now houses a museum collection open to the public during weekends. (double click to bring up detail. Picture from December 2010. Note snow!)

I am running the London marathon next year using the official advanced training programme and will be raising funds for Homeless Youth charity "Alone in London". Click here to sponsor me.