It seems a reasonable question and of course the answer is yes, there is a chance we could do something about this. The same technology that helps power Philae is readily available here on earth. Nearly every time I go into B&Q or my local garden centre there is a stack of solar powered lights in the discount section being offered at knock down prices, you can't give them away. The issue is not can we do something about the problem but will we do something about it? Are we prepared to invest the same commitment and resources that delivered Philae to 67P to addressing some of the basic needs in our world? Needs like clean water, basic sanitation, health care and renewable energy. Let's face it, it's not rocket science (or rocket surgery as one of the muppets on The Apprentice last night blurted out).
Well it didn't take long for Mike Read's obnoxious UKIP propaganda song to bite the dust. What could possibly have gone wrong singing a song titled UKIP Calypso in a mock Jamaican accent for a party whose main claim to fame is being anti-immigration? We were then treated to the spectacle of UKIP claiming the song's withdrawal had damaged a charity. However, the charity aspect seems to have been dreamed up after the event and the charity concerned, The Red Cross, said they didn't know anything about it. Here's a taste of this particular video nasty.
Political videos like this are nothing new. Who can forget Tracey Ullman singing My Guy featuring Neil Kinnock.
Then there was the classic I Feel Liberal - Alright starring David Steel. Nearly as embarrassing as his party conference speech when he uttered those immortal lines 'Fellow Liberals, go home and prepare for government.'
Not to be left out Prime Minister David Cameron has done a turn with One Direction in a medley featuring Blondie's One Way Or Another and The Undertones Teenage Kicks. Now I might have been willing to post a video of Cameron but I draw the line at One Direction, some things are too tasteless for the Treehouse even if it was for Comic Relief.
And finally my all time favourite. Nick Clegg's I'm Sorry. Admittedly this wasn't really what Nick intended, a bit like the promise he is apologising for having made, but this is a classic.
Yes folks the Carry On team have come out of retirement to bring you another classic, Carry On Knitting. Unfortunately some of the old cast are no longer with us but do not fear for Her Majesty's Government have provided some up and coming 'characters' to keep you rolling in the aisles. The new feature stars Brooks Newmark the charities minister who takes a novel line on the work of the Third Sector. Here's the minister's statement during a recent conference:
We really want to try and keep charities and voluntary groups out of the realms of politics.
When they stray into the realm of politics that is not what they are about and that is not why people give them money.
The important thing charities should be doing is sticking to their knitting and doing the best they can to promote their agenda, which should be about helping others.
I laughed so much I nearly dropped a stitch! Oh, wait a minute, it seems Mr Newmark was serious about this. Does the minister have the first idea about what work goes on in the charitable sector of our nation? Is this what the government is thinking of when it talks about the Big Society? Don't get me wrong, knitting plays its part, and many have benefited from this particular charitable good work, but this comment ranks alongside other gems, including the PM's favourite 'calm down dear', in its patronising ineptitude.
As for the suggestion that charities should keep out of politics, it seems the minister believes it is O.K. for charities to help clear up the mess in our society but not ask any awkward questions about what has helped create the mess in the first place. In other words, leave the politics to the professionals because they know what they are doing and the rest of us should be grateful for their whit, wisdom and expertise. If you doubt their brilliance, just have a look at PMQs any Wednesday lunchtime, now that really is a Carry On.
Anyway, I'm off to dig out my knitting needles and I know just what to do with them, however, it won't involve the use of any wool.
Anyone who knows me will have been aware of the agonies I suffered last season as Manchester United staggered from one humiliation to another under David Moyes. Moyes is a decent man and a good manager but he seemed completely out of his depth at Old Trafford. I recognise that Moyes was badly let down by some seriously over paid and under performing players, however, man management is part of the job. Now I look forward to a new season with new manager Louis van Gaal, who recently led the Dutch side to a World Cup semi-final in Brazil.
There has been much speculation about who will leave the club and who will be signed in the wake of Van Gaal's arrival but for me the good news has already started. It has been reported that as part of his deal with MUFC Van Gaal negotiated a £1.2 million donation to his favourite charity Muscles for Muscles whose work focuses on spinal muscular atrophy. The money was saved by manager and club as Van Gaal didn't use an agent in negotiating his two year £12 million contract. Set aside for a moment the issue of whether anyone should be paid that sort of money, they shouldn't, and let us rejoice in the fact that a charity has benefited from this deal, rather than one of the shady snake oil salesman who all too frequently infect the game.
Van Gaal is not alone in his charitable works. A couple of days ago it was revealed that Arsenal and Germany player Mesut Ozil paid for the operations of 23 Brazilian children out of his earnings and bonuses. Now, how about it Wazza, RvP and those of you who earned so much and delivered so little last year in a MUFC shirt?
A few weeks ago our church held a promise auction to raise funds for Mid Africa Concern and in particular for a hospital in Uganda that is facing severe financial hardship. We were pleasantly surprised by the amount raised and I suspect some of us were caught up in 'auction bid fever'. It was a fun evening with a canny auctioneer and plenty of laughs.
And then I caught sight of what went on at the Tory Party summer ball. Apparently someone paid £45,000 for a bottle of not very good champers signed by Margaret Thatcher. Someone else forked out £160,000 to play tennis with the Prime Minister and Mayor of London (not in their official capacities of course which would be, well how do I put this, corrupt). There were plenty of other extraordinary amounts bid for various items and all in the good cause of... The Tory Party. I see the successful bidder for the tennis match was a banker married to a former minister in Vladimir Putin's government.
I'm writing this listening to the Genesis classic Selling England by the Pound while feeling slightly sick and I don't think it's because of the croissant I've just eaten.
There are some great resources out at the moment in support of the Enough Food For Everyone IF campaign. One of the supporters of the campaign is Tearfund who state:
We believe in a God of abundance and justice who wants to see the hungry fed. And we believe God can use the church to speak to our nation.
That's why we are joining the IF Campaign to speak out against one of the biggest injustices of our time: Hunger.
In June the UK is hosting the G8 and David Cameron has a special opportunity to take action.
Together we can make 2013 the start of the end of world hunger.
Here are a couple of excellent videos explaining the campaign.
Not surprisingly, the shenanigans at the News of the World and News International have dominated news bulletins for the last few days. It took far too long for the story to gain traction in the wider media, save for a few diligent reporters and the work of The Guardian. The real tragedy in all this is that another story of crisis, which in other times would be dominating the headlines, has been squeezed.
Severe drought is threatening the lives of millions in East Africa and the situation in West Africa is also very serious. I’ll let the video tell the story but urge you to respond by supporting the aid appeals. Yes, I know all the arguments about whether aid relief is a problem or solution to the issues facing large parts of Africa. At the moment what those dying of thirst, starvation, disease and exhaustion need is relief and we can save the intellectual handwringing for less pressing times.
It is easy to forget how extraordinary some events were when we first experienced them. Last night I watched When Harvey Met Bob a BBC film about the events leading up to Live Aid in 1985. The 1985 concert was amazing. I had just graduated from university, dad had got hold of a video recorder and I still have the original tapes (VHS not Betamax thankfully). We’ve had a steady stream of these jukebox charity concerts since Live Aid, including Live 8, but none match the magic of that first event.
The film depicts the unfolding relationship between Bob Geldof, who had the vision for the concert, and Harvey Goldsmith, the concert promoter who helped Geldof make the vision a reality. Domhnall Gleeson’s portrayal of Geldof is superb; he nails the accent, the slouch, the haunted look, the bloody mindedness and the hair. It seemed to me the hair was a visual metaphor for Geldof’s emotions. The more upset and frustrated he became, the wilder his mop of hair, until by the day of the concert when it was completely out of control. Gleeson gives us the ramshackle prophet, not the plaster saint, raging against the plight of millions facing starvation while the world shrugged its shoulders in apathy.
I wasn’t as sure about Ian Hart’s portrayal of Goldsmith. The concert promoter is no shrinking violet and he didn’t convey the force or energy of the man, nor the character required to make such an event happen and reign in Geldof’s wilder notions. It was a pity that Midge Ure didn’t even get a mention, apart from a snatch of his hit Vienna, given that he was Geldof’s partner in the recording of the Band Aid charity single which kicked the whole thing off.
The most striking aspect of the film is the reminder of just what a seat of the pants enterprise Live Aid was. Geldof, blustering and blagging his way through press conferences, promising performances from artists who’d never heard of the concert, making commitments without a clue how they would be delivered. The interviews and documentaries I’ve seen about Live Aid over the years confirm that this is an accurate picture. Even at the last moment, with Live Aid well under way in both London and Philadelphia, it looked like the event would fail in its purpose. People were watching the bands but weren’t committing their money and so in a desperate effort to drum up donations Geldof did a live interview. Part way through he loses his temper and makes an expletive ridden demand for money. I remember the jolt of electricity hitting me as I heard his words at the time and I remember the response as the cash began to flood in.
Geldof has plenty of critics and I’m sure he’d be the first to admit his faults, but there are many people alive today because of what he and Goldsmith achieved with Live Aid.
No apologies for showing one of my favourite clips…
This evening I’ll be helping my son fill a decorated shoebox with gifts for another little boy in support of Operation Christmas Child. It’s one of those things connected with Christmas that we are happy to be involved with even though we haven’t yet set off the fireworks.
Operation Christmas Child is organised by Samaritan’s Purse – a Christian relief and development organisation which works through local churches to proclaim and demonstrate the love of God to children and families in need across Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Where appropriate, local partners will also distribute a booklet of Bible stories, including the story of the birth of Jesus, to children receiving the shoeboxes. The charity also encourages donors to pray for the child receiving their shoebox.
If you want to know what it means for a child to receive one of these boxes then check out this video clip.
I don't usually do product endorsements but tomorrow is World Aids Day and to mark the event Nike has joined with RED to launch a RED Laces campaign. 100% of the profit from the sale of Nike’s RED laces goes to the Global Fund and Nike’s football based programmes. It’s part of RED’s ongoing work of developing partnerships to fund the fight against HIV/AIDS in Africa.
If you were watching Chelski beating Arsenal in the London derby yesterday you may have noticed Didier Drogba, who scored twice for Chelski, was wearing RED laces. Today Drogba joined Bono (a key player in RED’s work) and other footballers to publicise the campaign at a press conference in London. RED sums up its approach as educate and medicate; aiming to ensure that HIV positive people in Africa have access to the drugs they need to stay alive and supporting education programmes about the illness across the continent.
The RED laces are intended for football boots but anyone can wear them, though I’m not sure how they would go down on a pair of black shoes at a funeral. Anyway, I think it’s a simple way of raising awareness about HIV in Africa and an effective method of fund raising. The laces would make a good Christmas present for sports mad friends and relatives and for those not into sport there are other RED partnership products. Other companies working with RED include: GAP, Starbucks, Dell, Apple, Converse and Hallmark.
Forget the winner of Xfactor or any of the other musical pap preparing to assault our eardrums over the next few weeks, the must have Christmas album is Bob Dylan’s Christmas in the Heart. Royalties from the sale of the album will go to the charity Feeding America, the UN World Food Programme and Crisis in the UK. However, this is more than just a charity album as Dylan plays it straight with a mixture of traditional carols and other Christmas songs. Critics have been mixed in their verdicts on the latest offering from Dylan but I think it’s great fun. There is an element of The Pogues about some of the renditions and I’m surprised that Fairytale of New York is not on the album. I get the impression Dylan enjoyed making this record and the boisterousness of some of the offerings is summed up in his version of Must Be Santa. Enjoy and then buy!
An extraordinary revelation today that the BBC has asked the newsreader George Alagiah to step down from his role as patron of the charity Fairtrade. Alagiah has explained the decision in a letter to Fairtrade and writes: “My senior colleagues at the BBC have come to the conclusion that being the official patron of the Fairtrade Foundation is no longer compatible with being a high-profile journalist in BBC News. They believe that Fairtrade represents a potential conflict of interest which could undermine my impartiality.
“In the many years that I have been your patron there has not been a single complaint (that I am aware of) to the BBC, so you can imagine how taken aback I was by the decision.”
This ludicrous decision taken by the BBC is made all the more nonsensical when one considers the way the BBC indulges other presenters. Consider, for example, the case of Jeremy Clarkson one of the three presenters of the BBC programme Top Gear. Clarkson continually seems to overstep the mark in his role as presenter with offensive and political comments. A list of some of Clarkson’s indiscretions can be found here and they include several personal, derogatory comments about Gordon Brown and jokes about murdering prostitutes. I happen to enjoy watching Top Gear, although I find the constant attacks on those concerned about climate change and road safety rather tiresome. The BBC does seem to operate double standards. Plenty of the BBC’s top presenters and journalists, including Clarkson, have been allowed to pursue other activities which could be regarded as prejudicial to their ‘impartiality’. Earlier this year the BBC dropped the journalist Carol Thatcher from The One Show because of an overheard off air comment which was regarded as unacceptable. I am struggling to understand why it is OK for Clarkson to describe the Prime Minister as a c**t to a BBC audience but Thatcher’s offence was deemed worthy of suspension.
Forgive me for a touch of cynicism at this point but could it be that the double standards pursued by the BBC with regard to its presenters is due to viewing figures? Top Gear pulls in large audiences and Clarkson is seen as key to the success of the show. He knows it and the BBC know it and so Clarkson can push the boundaries confident that no one is going to risk the wrath of the punters. The same could be said for the treatment of Jonathan Ross over his phone call prank with Russell Brand last year.
Now I’m not arguing that Ross or Clarkson should have been sacked, but I am suggesting that there is an inconsistency in the way the BBC treats its presenters. The demands made of some presenters in the name of ethical integrity are clearly flouted by others with impunity. The loser is a highly respected charity responsible for helping many of the most needy people in our world and a journalist seeking to support that work. Is this what the BBC has come to mean by a Reithian ethos?
With Harvest Festivals approaching many churches are involved with organisations like Send A Cow which celebrates its twentieth anniversary this year. This is also the time when the airwaves and newspapers are full of 'experts' telling us how these projects are no good for the countries they are intended to help. Paul Heiney has written an excellent article in The Times called 'Can sending a cow feed a country?' focusing on the value of the work of charities like Send A Cow in transforming the lives of individuals and communities. Heiney writes about one of the women who received a cow back in the mid nineties. Betty Kiwanuka is now on her third cow and she has called it Kirabo: Gift of God.
At Great Leighs Church on Sunday 28th September we will be celebrating our Harvest Festival and the guest preacher will be Martin Reed from Send A Cow.
Living in Essex with a very understanding family (understanding of my mood swings relative to Man Utd's fortunes), a dog named Branoc, rabbits and chickens (when the fox doesn't eat them). Mission and Ministry Adviser for the Colchester Episcopal Area in the Diocese of Chelmsford. I'm also a non-residentiary Canon of Chelmsford Cathedral and I enjoy hitting and kicking things, which I call drumming.
