LAMBING DAY IN WILSTEAD

Spring is here! Daffodils are everywhere and today on a beautiful Spring Sunday Wilstead held its annual Lambing Day at Manor Farm, owned by sheep farmers David and Barbara Seamark. Bedfordshire has some very large sheep farms and there are now 20 million breeding sheep in the UK, producing the delicious lamb many of us enjoy for our Sunday lunches, especially at Easter.

Many local families came to watch lambs being born to some of the 470 sheep at Manor Farm, sometimes as many as 3 or 4 lambs to one sheep. Wilstead Lower School Parent Teachers' Association provided burgers, hot dogs and cakes, raising funds for the school and a good time was had by all. The only slight hitch was a power cut which stopped the important supply of tea and coffee for a short while.

I took my daugher Helen and 2 of my grandchildren Jessica, aged 6 and Oliver, 4, who were fascinated by the lambing process and the chance to hold an orphaned lamb. We also met two of Helen's former school friends, Sarah and Debbie who used to live in Wilstead, with their 5 children, aged from 10 years down to 9 months, so our young children had a great time and we all enjoyed the spring sunshine.

During the visit I bumped into Cathy Whittle, Project Manager of Wilstead Children's Centre which opened in April 2009. Cathy told me that Wilstead Pre School was inspected by Ofsted in October 2008 and rated Outstanding, the top rating. I was delighted at their good news, after the hard work put in by Cathy and many other Wilstead volunteers on a building project, which was completed in a very tight timescale to qualify for its Government grant.

Helen, Debbie and Sarah all attended John Bunyan Upper School, starting in 1988 and Helen went on to graduate from University in 1996. In those days John Bunyan Upper was an excellent school but in recent years it has been in the doldrums. Since the appointment of a dynamic new Head Teacher, Ursula Byrne last year John Bunyan School has started to improve rapidly and achieved good GCSE results in July 2008. In September 2010 it will become Bedford Academy with the support of Bedford College and the Harpur Trust. With the new buildings due in 2012, the school should continue to improve its academic results and provide a good rounded education.

2ND EVICTION FROM "I'M A COUNCILLOR" CONTEST

Cllr Judith Cunningham a Liberal Democrat was the 2nd Councillor to be evicted this afternoon from "I'm A Councillor Get Me Out of Here!" leaving 4 Councillors in the contest - 3 men and me.

Today I had an interesting online discussion with students at Biddenham School, and was in the middle of being bombarded with questions when I had an urgent call to go into County Hall to chair a Trade Union meeting. I had given my apologies but the TU Chairman was sick, so my attendance was requested. The students were a lively group, as were the John Bunyan students on Monday and I would be proud to be the Youth Champion for Bedford where our school exam results are improving rapidly.

The Mayor of Bedford recently denigrated Bedford Schools yet again, which is demoralising for students and teachers in our 7 Upper Schools. Judging by my visit to John Bunyan School on Monday all our GCSE students have to work very hard to gain their examination successes. They do not need the Mayor belittling their efforts and destroying their often fragile self confidence.

On Thursday I have another online discussion with students at Hastingsbury School - if I am still in the contest by then! Also that day after attending a County Full Council meeting I shall be engaged in Political Speed Dating which will be fun.

I'M A COUNCILLOR GET ME OUT OF HERE! - FIRST EVICTION

Cllr Dave Lewis, Leader of the Borough Council Labour Group was the first Councillor evicted from the "I'm a Councillor Get Me Out of Here" contest this afternoon. There are 5 Councillors left - 2 Conservative, 2 Liberal Democrat and 1 Independent and by Friday afternoon there will be only one - the new Youth Champion.

This morning I was interviewed on BBC Three Counties Radio about Local Democracy Week and "I'm A Councillor..." and the interview was repeated so there was some good publicity for me and John Bunyan Upper School, which is a rapidly improving school. The Bedford Times & Citizen also quoted my comments in an article last Thursday.

I have answered 83 questions online so far, including one today asking me "Obama or McCain?" My choice is Obama as I think it is time for a change in America and Obama is very intelligent, thoughtful and has more international appeal than McCain.

At 72, McCain has had 3 cancer scares and could die in office, leaving the gun toting 'hockey Mom' with her finger on the nuclear trigger - a scary prospect.
My vote would not be swayed by either gender or race as I assess politicians on their ability, and have read Obama's inspiring book "The Audacity of Hope".

This morning I went back to school and shadowed a bright 16 year old GCSE student at 4 lessions - PSHE, Mathematics, Science and ICT. After my early start this morning, and a weekend spent looking after small grandchildren, by 12 I was exhausted!

In the PSHE lesson, the students asked me lots of questions about Local Democracy.
I was very impressed by the lively and intelligent students I met. The dynamic new
new Head of School, Ursula Byrne, believes that in 2009 John Bunyan School will continue to improve its GCSE results which were the best ever this year.

Tomorrow I shall be going online at 10am to have a live chat with more students.

BBC 3 COUNTIES RADIO INTERVIEW

GOOD MORNING ALL!

I have just been interviewed by Stephen Rhodes on BBC 3 Counties Radio for 8 minutes - a long time by radio standards. The interview was about Local Democracy Week and I'm A Councillor Get Me Out of Here! and went out live at 6.20am - a bit early for most people - and was repeated later in the morning.

Stephen Rhodes has a reputation as a tough interviewer but he allowed me free rein because I knew my subject well. Steve asked me about the contest and local politics and I mentioned my John Bunyan Upper School visit three times in the interview.

Today I am going back to school on "Take Your Councillor to School" day and will be shadowing a student at 4 lessons at John Bunyan Upper School - Maths, ICT, Science and PSHE - Personal,Social and Health Education. Last week Toby Reid, Head of Humanties had a Citizenship Class in PSHE. Toby and his students asked me several questions online. I have had 80 questions from the nine Bedford Borough Schools involved in Im A Councillor Get Me Out of Here - more than any other candidate.

Today the first Councillor will be voted off. I aim to survive and become Bedford's 2008 Youth Champion. I am the only "twinhatted" candidate out of the 6 Councillors, ie I am both a County and Borough Councillor and the only one who is taking part in the school vists and the Political Speed Dating on Thursday.