HORSES LIVE IN SW1

This is where the King's Troop now organise themselves somewhere in SW1 by being based in the very centre of London. This will be standard practice once the Troop leave St John's Wood. How they fit in is amazing. They are getting ready for the State Visit of the President of Turkey, no doubt lots of blarney on Europe and the euro!

DIGITAL POSTER

Spotted this at Earls Court reminding me that the British Military Tournament is fast approaching us. Tickets are selling well and some performances are nearly sold out. visit www.britishmilitarytournament.com

IDEAL PENSIONERS HELP

This is the team of Chelsea Pensioners who are helping us at the Christmas Ideal Home Show at Earls Court. The show is promoting the Homes for Heroes Appeal which has over 18 months raised £230,000. Despite the name of the Appeal it is for the Soldiers's Charity. We hope this show will add to the pot and get us to £250,000 by Xmas. Visit www.idealhomeshow.com and come along.

HERITAGE ROWS TO RECOVERY

This is Neil Heritage who I saw again this evening at the Row to Recovery Dinner. He is one of the six men who will row the Atlantic, a distance of 3000 miles. So what you may ask? Neil is a double amputee who was part of a Bomb Disposal Team in November 2004 when a suicide bomber blew himself up in Basra, Iraq. He was one of our first beneficiaries aand he helped us in one of our early campaigns. I saw him walk this evening and this time next month he will be half way across the Atlantic. Row to Recovery is raising money for H4H, SSAFA and ABF The Soldiers' Charity; they have raised 1/2 Million already and now their goal is a Million. Watch http://www.row2recovery.com/. There will be more about this over the next month. We in the Soldiers' Charity will be rooting for Neil.

GEORDIE BOOK LAUNCHED

Having recovered from Status Quo caught early train to Newcastle for the launch of "Geordie Land to No Man's Land" a charming and interesting diary of a World War I Gunner by the name of George Elder.  George had been working in WH Smith in 1915 when he joined the Territorial Northumbrian Gunners.  He survived the war to return to WH Smiths and ended up working for them for 51 years.  His diaries had been in the family for many years but only recently have they sprung into action to




get them published.  The end result is shown here and the group is at WH Smiths in Northumberland Street in Newcastle where we managed to shift 50 books.  On my right is Claire who has done so much to get this project going and on my left is Viv her mother, a grand daughter of George Elder.  We were joined by Kirsty Irvine from Central Office and her father.  Now on train home which I very nearly missed as I was enjoying my time in "Toon" so much.

 

GONE TO THE DOGS WITH STATUS QUO

There is a general feeling in the office that I have gone to the dogs. Prompted perhaps by the dropping of my BlackBerry in the bath and then losing my pen (which I then found after a general hue and cry). What was I doing with my Blackberry in the bath!! Anyway I really went to the Battersea Dogs Home Gala Ball in the Battersea Evolution Centre, a great venue and a great show. Even rocked to Status Quo. The photo is of Fudge a Battersea Dog, lovely little chap. I don't think he rocked though.

11th HOUR of the 11th DAY

To day I attended with the Western Front Association the ceremony at the Cenotaph which they organise.  I was amazed at the crowds and by the full presence of the Service Chiefs of Staff.  Our party got an astonishing applause which was very moving.  We then went on to the Guards Chapel for a lovely service attended by about 400. It was a privelage to address the congregation and I commend http://westernfrontassociation.com/ to anybody interested in this period.