WIGGO WIGGO WIGGO

radley Wiggins is arguably one of the most recognisable sportsmen and pro-cyclists in the UK. A multi-medal winning Olympian and the first britton to win the Tour de France.

1711.12 REMEMBER THOSE THAT GAVE SO MUCH

If you were reading this time last year you may have read my post for Remembrance Sunday and my daughter who is an Army Cadet.

1611.13 LEST WE FORGET

6 years ago I had cause to speak to an elderly chap in his nineties who told me about his experiences during WWII. He lost his entire family in a bombing raid over Sheffield and immediately went to sign up for the army, lying about his age to get in.  It brought a tear to my eye and made me really think about the debt of gratitude we will always owe him and his generation.

Back to today and this morning, my youngest daughter (who is an Army Cadet) was marching with her detachment in Rotherham Town Centre for the Remembrance Sunday parade. Yesterday she was in town selling poppies for the Royal British Legion.

Rags with her freind

It's safe to say that I'm a very proud Dad.

The march was a great success and a perfect balance of reflection and celebration.

A special mention goes to the South Yorkshire Police Band (in which I have friends) who did a fantastic job.

1506.30 THE ROYAL GEORGE

The earliest mention the Royal George public house was in 1869. Throughout the years I imagine the pub must have served the community well. It would have served miners from the nearby Garrowtree mine and steel worker from the works in Masborough.

Fast forward to 2001, industry is a distant memory and deprivation is common in the area. Houses are built opposite (after many years of being a empty patch of land). It's at this point that I come into the story. It's at this point we begin to have issues with the pub behind our house.

I knew there would be some issues when we bought the house, drunks singing and taxis honking horns, I'm pretty tolerant. The issues we started to get were so much worse than that...

• Customers smoking weed
• Kids playing football
• People climbing into our garden
• Loud music (speaker put outside on sunny days) 
• Rowdy behaviour till all hours

It was really driving us mad, especially since our bedroom directly overlooked it. A lot of communication between me, the council and the police (I'm assuming other residents also complained) got the place closed. I always hoped it would reopen with a strong management to turn it into a community asset. It never did.

There was a planning application submitted to convert the building into a large house which was turned down. Then it looked like it might be a restaurant (which we would have apposed because of potential of parking issues).

Last week a fence went up around it and scaffolding went up. We thought it was about to get a refurb (although no planning had been put in). The next thing we knew contractors moved in and started knocking the building down. So now it's a big open space, I'm keeping an eye out for any plans but for now we have a view down the Don Valley.

I was never a customer of the 'George' but I can't help feel a little sad at its demise.

1505.28 CYCLING - THE NEXT STEP

It's always been my intention to start cycling with a club. Last year, after the Tour and after I searched out a suitable club, I had the intention of introducing myself. Then, as I've previously mentioned, disaster struck (1409.21). It was a long road to recovery, then finally I got to the stage when I thought I was ready to join my local cycling club. The first time I bottled it but about a month ago I took the leap...

I'd been monitoring the club's activities on their Facebook page for some time. They posted details of the Sunday club ride and I dropped them a comment asking if I could tag along. Very quickly I got a response inviting me along.

I got up nice and early put together my bits and bobs and checked over my 'best' bike (as I had done the night before). I set off into the dry quiet Sunday morning. The ride to the meeting point was about 8km away so it served as a warm up and practice with what was still a fairly unfamiliar steed. I arrived at the meeting point (a pub car park), there were a couple of riders already there to which I introduced myself. More came along, all seemed very welcoming but I still felt a bit of an outsider (understandable I know). There were 2 rides planned, an 'A' run and a 'B'run, I went along with the 'B' group.

I've ridden with a group before but not often and not for a long while. Various members took the time to speak to me and chat as we moved out into the countryside. The pace was probably higher than I would do on a solo ride but not beyond me by a long way, we rode out to Bank View Cafe in Langsett where we had a break and a bite to eat. We left and set off back, the ride was good and I feel I was up to the challenges I put before me. I feel I took the next step in my cycling journey, so much so that I have continued to ride with the group.

1410.31 THE COMMISSIONER

Today was the election of a new Police & Crime Commissioner following the child grooming scandal and subsequent resignation of Shawn Wright. There has always been an apathy towards the role which is evident in the low turn out. I always vote for every election, I feel it's a duty that everyone should fulfill, and I made no exception here (although I almost missed it). Rotherham is the town I live in (although I still consider myself to be from Sheffield, the city of my birth) and has been damaged greatly by the recent events. The town, in my opinion, was already dying, I hope it will make it through.

This election is of course more important for me as the role affects my work. I hope I made the right choice.