Aldeburgh 3

Here are the happy three on the way back from the Italian restaurant to the hotel. Aldeburgh is just the right mix: no candy floss, not snooty.

Beach Volleyball

Rowan and I developed our own version of beach volleyball at Aldebrough [no bikinis, no sand, no net but more fun]. Explaining the rules to Danielle was difficult.

Aldeburgh 2

On the second day of our holiday, we met up at Dunwich with lots of family, including Steve and Jane who are en-route to a new job in the Seychelles, and Edward who is seen here looking to the sea. Rowan and Jane swam in the North Sea which is always a brave thing to do.

Aldeburgh 1

We have spent last week at
Aldeburgh in Suffolk where my mother kindly invited us to stay with her in a hotel for four days. It was great, very relaxing with the stony beach a hop skip and a jump from the hotel door.

Here is the hotel

New Photo 3

Here is another shot - still on the abstract side but a little more linear.

Flag Map

Rowan devised a project for herself this holiday - draw a map of the world with each country being filled in with the colours of its flag. I had to convince her that fitting in Liechenstein, Gambia etc would be too much, but she got pretty much everywhere else in. Here it is - sideways for some reason.

New Photos 2

I worried about yesterday's new photo being too normal. This one may be a bit too abstract. From my muse - Aberdovey Beach [can a beach be a muse?]

It is one of my new favorites.

New Photos 1

I am working on some of the photos from Wales for next year's exhibition. I am not sure if this will make the cut - could be too conventional - but it is pretty dramatic.

Athletics 3

And here is the finish of Rowan's 75m sprint.

There are some quicker girls in the other sprints - so she doesn't have it all her own way.

Athletics part deux

And here she is coming up to the finish and her win. Rowan went on to a sleepover at Frances', Danielle and I had a nice evening together.

The cycling at the Olympics just gets better and better - more screaming at the TV today. Rowan's favorite is Victoria Pendleton who goes in the final of the women's sprint tomorrow morning - fingers crossed.

Athletics part un

Friday we had the Greys round for lunch. Saturday we gorged on the cyclists triumph on the Olympics. Sunday Rowan was in her athletics league races. Her friend Frances accompanied us. After 200m of the 600m this was the situation [boys and girls run together.] Tune in tomorrow to see what happened at the finish.

Cas 2

The River Aire was pretty dramatic at Cas - the incessant rain in the Pennines all makes its way down here sooner or later.

Cas

When I did some work in Castleford a few years ago there was talk of a programme by Kevin McCloud [of

Grand Designsfame]
doing a programme on re-designing Castleford. I never heard any more of
it, even though it was very obvious that the town needed any bit of
help it could get.Then out of the blue the programmes emerged. The first one was shown last week

Big Town Plan. It was very inspiring and focused on a new bridge across the River Aire. So Rowan and I took the train to have a look at it. Two things stood out - it was fantastic and it was being used by lots of local people to walk on, look at the river etc - it seemed very successful.After that we walked into the town centre and got some food for a picnic from Marks & Sparks. Rowan is partial to their Sushi, so now came the acid test for Cas: would they have sushi? With some trepidation I asked the fearsome looking assistant. "Oh yes love its over there". Times are changing.

After the Race

And here is Rowan relaxing after her win. The days of either of us keeping up with her are long gone.

I try not to go on about the weather too much on the blog [many readers do not live in the UK and so are not obsessed by it] but just to let you know it has rained pretty much non stop for a week here [or it seems that way]. And this is summer.

Millenium Races

Each year there are running races by the river in York. Danielle does the 5K and improved on her time by a minute. Rowan not only won her one mile race in under 5 minutes but also managed to get Palmour mispelt in a new way to go on the list [this is the 115th version of the name]

CTC 4

The place we stayed at was an old RAF airfield from the war which is now the fire college, with people coming from all over the world

to train there. This is the plaque outside the base.

Press

If you look at the photo from the local press concerning the CTC rally you will see Rowan right behind the cake-cutters. All the children were very keen to get in the photo, the adults seemed keener on keeping dry.

Cooke

As always with holidays it is great to go away, but it is also great to come back home. We have spent the weekend re-grouping, chilling and watching the Olympics. We were all screaming as Nicole Cooke won the cycling - fantastic.
The photo is another of the great windsurfer.

Punch & Judy

Despite the rain the children were captivated by the Punch and Judy show. It was, of course, a cycling Punch and Judy man on a cyclable theatre.

Relations

Alison and Geoff drove over to see us at Moreton in Marsh, we all went to Ask for a pizza. It was great to see them. Today was our last day there - Rowan and I did a 43 mile ride which took in Chipping Norton and the Tews [classic Cotswold villages]. We were first to a pub in Wigginton where we had some great food - I told the landlady that there might be "a few more cyclists" coming for lunch. She nodded, probably thinking it unlikely. By the time we left it looked like about 50 at least would be visiting - I imagine she is still recovering.
The photo is of the birthday tea at an Indian style stately home - with rain.
I have added a few more photos for the past two weeks' posts, so scan back to see them.

CTC 3

The rides have been good all week, Rowan so far has racked up over 140 miles, there really is not stopping her on the hills. Yesterday we rode to Stratford Upon Avon on an old railway line, then had a lunch at our favourite restaraunt [Carluccio's] which made us all very happy after 5 days of Fire Service canteen food [think 20 years ago then twice as bad as that].

Rowan has made friends with Hannah and Ben and we keep meeting lots of interesting people. Good times.

CTC 2

The first CTC event, was a 38 mile ride that took in the Rollright Stones and Edge Hill. It was a really good route that reminded me just how beautiful the Cotswolds are, particularly the villages. There really is no other way to see them than on a bike, it is the perfect way of moving from one amazing place to another. We had lunch at Upton Hall, a National Trust place. Rowan rode really well and left us in her wake going up the hills [really]. The photo is of Elliot, a boy who rode with us one day, and put up with Rowan trying to beat him up all the hills

ctc 1

Saturday we arrived at the CTC event in Moreton in Marsh. We are staying in the Fire College with 500 other cyclists. As we walked into the canteen on the first night the average age and my heart both fell. The idea had been to ride with other families to give Rowan some riding companions - and the sea of white hair and lycra did not seem to fit the bill. But. We need not have worried - we soon found some great people and Rowan is cycling like Lance and has made some good new friends. We are all very happy now and enjoying it a lot

Tandem Memories

Twelve years ago Danielle and I entered a tandem road race. It was one lap around Lake Vrywyny in Wales. 12 miles of furious effort. Just when we were about to make contact with the leading group a tandem team fell off in front of us. This led to two reactions from the Palmour tandem. One of us said "Are you OK!" the other said "Get out of the way, we're coming through!". You choose who said which.
Anyway 12 years on and we stayed over at the Lake Vrywyny Hotel, it is a beautiful place, no doubt about it.

Windsurfing

Danielle and Rowan went to Bala to learn to windsurf. it was rainy and it was windy but they loved it and they both were successful at sailing the things. Big Success. Me I went a ride round the lake. Photos to follow

People of Harlech

We took the train to vist http://www.harlech.com/ Harlech Castle for the first time. It is a very impressive castle, well preserved, not too big and with an interesting history.

The photo is on the balcony at our hotel. This was our seventh year of staying at the same hotel which is pretty amazing all round.

Friends

Danielle Rowan and I walked to Tywyn then took the Talyllyn railway to Abergnolywn where we met up with friends Mike & Karen and their family and friends who were in the area on a Quaker camp. It was good to see them - it is 8 years since we last met up.

Us

Quite a rare event to get a photo of us together - so here we are. The three of us cycled to

CAT yesterday. It was a good ride with Danielle trying out her new Orbit touring bike which we got at the CTC rally. CAT was its usual self of chaotic inspiration and long queques in the cafe.

Aberdovey 1

The sun is out, the house is being house-sat, and we are in Aberdovey. We always go down to the beach first thing when we arrive and are faced with the most beautiful sand and sea with the mountains behind, and with my requirement [a 100metre exclusion zone] met with ease as you can see. Feels good.

Enough Rope

This is another shot of some rope from the ship in Hartlepool. The summer has finally arrived and we have had a lovely couple of days. Danielle sorting out her bees, I went an off-road ride, Rowan bounced around on the trampoline alot - just another Saturday.

Art Trail

York has got an Art Trail this summer. Weather proof copies of famous works of art are mounted outside on buildings. I like anything new and different like this, other people dislike anything like this.. Here is Rowan with one of the paintings on St Marys Abbey in York.

Pond Watch

Saturday night we were at an allotment party at John and Katy's. Despite the seasonal weather [it rained] we all had a great time. The photo is of Rowan, John, and Rose practising their frog tickling skills - in the rain. John cooked some great fish on the barbecue and we ate in a candlelit gazebo. We had to leave early to get back to welcome some Cuban dancers who were staying the night, and who - didn't show up.

Wren

Open the kitchen door and at head height under a metre away is this Wren's nest complete with gaping chicks. It is great to watch them greedily getting fed, and fed and fed.

The nest is meant to be for swallows but obviously the Wren couldn't read the label.

Rope

There was plenty of rope and chain on the ship in Hartlepool. I like the shadow on this coil. It is one of those shots I shall have to have a look at for a good while to work out how good it is. Rowan was at a sleep over on Friday night, so Danielle and I watched Bergman's

The Seventh Seal film which I loved [D not so sure]. It was made in the year of my birth. The black and white cinematogrophy is just perfect.

Stocks

These stocks were at Hartlepool. Luckily no soft fruit was available.

Skipworth Loop

This is one of my favorite rides. Down the cycle track to Ricall then on through Selby and the River Ouse before coming up to Skipworth Common, a marvellous wild heath that used to be an airfield in the war. I saw these strange cattle today.

Hartlepools

Hartlepool might not sound the most obvious destination for a day out, but you'd be surprised. Rowan and I went on the train to see the Maritime museum which is really good, and was pretty busy as well. The centrepiece is this ship which we could clamber and crouch over. http://www.hartlepoolsmaritimeexperience.com/

Dylan

We have been really enjoying listening to Bob Dylan's themetime radio show http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/shows/bob_dylan/index.shtml . He plays some great stuff [and even better, none by himself]. Well worth a listen.

The photo is Rowan saying goodbye to her old trainers in Sheffield: chucking out anything is way down on her list of priorities so getting her to ditch these [before they took action themselves] was a bit of a triumph.

Rowan's Photo

When we were in Sheffield Rowan grabbed my camera and carefully lined up this shot. Don't know where she got such an idea from...

Cycle Route

I went a bike ride on this route today. A bit of rain, but a good ride with a good cafe at Knaresborough.
The photo is of Rowan and I reflected in the water fountain in Sheffield yesterday. Worry not, this is not a true representation of my girth.

Finch News

All winter we had 5 or 6 Goldfinches pigging out on the nyger seed. They must have moved on to nest elsewhere as they haven't been around for a while [even though the weather is doing a great winter impression]. Today we were treated to a pair of young Bullfinches feeding outside the kitchen window. The male is the most beautiful of birds and it is a real treat to have them so near. The photo shows again why I am not a wildlife photographer but you get the idea.

Leeds

This is the view from the top of Middleton Moor in Leeds. Typical bleak damp northern skyline - I love it.

Article about Danielle

News analysis: Panel has high social enterprise score

By Rosie Walker, Third Sector, 9 July 2008

Advisory team: the 12 representatives

Representatives of small local charities are concerned that the new group set up by the Office of the Third Sector to advise it on voluntary sector issues relies too heavily on "the great and the good" and is weighted too heavily in favour of social enterprise.

The 12 members of the Third Sector Advisory Body were selected from 283 applicants. The interview panel included Labour peer and panel chair Jill Pitkeathley, Helen Stevenson and Pat Samuel, both deputy directors of the OTS, and legal services commissioner Dr Lily Segerman-Peck.

Neil Cleeveley, director of policy and communications at Navca, which represents local charities, said: "There is an element of the great and the good about it. We would like to see more grass-roots representation, without it becoming too large and unwieldy."

Brian Carr, chief executive of BVSC, which represents charities in Birmingham, said: "There seems to be a strong emphasis on social enterprise expertise in the mix, which is understandable and important. What's less obvious is grass-roots community-level and faith-based third sector perspectives."

A spokesman for the OTS said it was important to hear from organisations not among its 45 existing strategic partners - organisations that receive government funding in return for advice.

Two religious organisations, Faith Action and Church Urban Fund, are among the partners. "Social enterprise is a broad spectrum, so it's important to have people representing every aspect of it," he said.

Jonathan Bland, chief executive of the Social Enterprise Coalition, described the group as balanced. "We're pleased it includes representatives with business experience from both social enterprises and the private sector," he said.

Ben Wittenberg, director of policy and research at the Directory of Social Change, said the quality of advice and the ability of the OTS to act on it were more important than the group's membership.

"It will be interesting to see what the OTS will do if the panel tells it that it's made a bad decision," he said.

The gang of twelve

The new group includes Lynne Berry, chief executive, WRVS, which helps isolated people in need; Stan Crawford, managing director, Sherwood Energy Village, a sustainable housing social enterprise; Stephen Dunmore, consultant, former chief executive, Big Lottery Fund; Clare Gilhooly, chief executive, Cambridge House, which alleviates poverty in London; Michael Kelly, European head of CSR, KPMG; John Knight, assistant director, policy and campaigns, Leonard Cheshire Disability; Bhupendra Mistry Board member, Carnegie UK Trust and BBC World Service; Penny Newman, non-executive director, Social Finance, set up to prepare the voluntary sector for a social investment bank; Cliff Prior, chief executive, UnLtd, a charity that funds social enterprises; Abbie Rumbold, partner and charity specialist, law firm Bates Wells & Braithwaite; Danielle Walker Palmour. director, Friends Provident Foundation; Sir Nick Young, chief executive, British Red Cross.

Middleton Railway

While Rowan was swimming in Leeds on Sunday I took a walk through the drizzly woods of Middleton Park. Coming through the mist was a steam train on the
Middleton Railway which is a preserved line and one of the oldest surviving railway lines in the world. It used to be a colliery line, now it ambles rather incongruously through a park.

Swimming Gala

Rowan was in a swimming gala in Leeds. Hundreds of children and their families converge on the pool at 8am. On a Sunday morning. It is all very professionally run and the kids seem to love it. Meanwhile the parents huddle in the heat and the noise [every bad record you can think of is played over the high quality PA which means you can hear every note] like a reluctant Gladiators audience.

The photo is from the much more civilized running meet - Rowan won the 600 metres again.

Summer in the City

A summer's athletics meeting in England. Rain all day of course. The photo is of coach [Danielle] and coachee [Rowan] in seasonal clothing.

Tales from the Trains

You meet all sorts on the late train back from London. This week was a good sort.

On the way down to London I wondered why my Swiss Rail watch was reading the date as July 33Rd. On the way back I was chatting to the man who distributes them in the UK. He e-mailed me the explanation [separate discs for each number to allow larger digits, if you want to know] which was very interesting. Still does not read right though - it is just that I now know why.

The photo is of the International Maritime building on the embankment near Lambeth Palace. I like it.

National Championships

Whilst waiting for the national women's road race Ted and I got talking to the parents of Jesse Allen who came fourth - as she is 18 she looks like a cert for the 2012 Olympics in London. She got into the sport by chance, a programme was being run throughout schools in Wales to find potential cyclists. She fitted the bill and is now riding for the Halfords Team with Nicole Cooke [world champion]. It was a heartening story. Oh yes, and the programme has now been cut...

Goldfrapp

Rowan went to stay the night with John and Heather on Tuesday - all seemed delighted. Which meant Danielle and I could go to the Sage in Newcastle to see Goldfrapp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldfrapp . It was a great venue and a fantastic gig - we really enjoyed it. Long way to go though.
The photo is another from Rowan's Hebden Hey weekend.

Hebden Hey

We received some photos from Rowan's trip to Hebden Bridge. Here she is in the group - they definitely had a good time.