STARVE YOUNG JOBLESS?

Did anyone else go cold on seeing the Sunday Times Page 7 headline? Lord Digby Jones alleged remark / suggestion that our young jobless people should be "...starved into work."
The same paper carried a story last week about 600 British Gas apprentice vacancies, for which there were 65,000 applications. (yes, that was the right figure, 65,000).
So, let's add malnutrition, isolation and shame to loss of confidence and feeling worthless, and you really WILL lose another generation to the sub-culture of dependancy.
Job Clubs encourage hope and self-help through shared experience - we know how incredibly difficult it is to keep on picking yourself up from rejection after rejection and carry on the struggle.
And when one of our members finds a job, which happened this week, we all celebrate.
So here's a challenge to Lord Digby Jones.
Visit a Job Club sometime and see for yourself whether jobless people - of whatever age - really need the additional spur (or even suggestion) of starvation to assist their job-seeking efforts. I guarantee that you'll learn something - we do, every week.
http://www.shaftesburyjobclub.co.uk/
07966 544492

Thoughts on Big Society

This week, we've visited some inspiring community projects and specialist centres.
Mostly run with great energy and passion on shoestring budgets by volunteers. Delivering real benefit
In the locality.
This is what Big Society is all about.
Seeing a need and taking responsibility for doing something about it.
And here in North Dorset we're way ahead of the game.
Our Community Partnerships recently won a national award as am example of excellence, and after seeing some of these projects at work this week, I'm not surprised!
So, a great week of solid visiting, hustings, meetings, leafletting, paper cuts and canvassing.
Plus usual Town Council committees.
Hugely enthused by the day with Caroline Spelman. Really set the tone for the rest of this campaign for me.
Low point, the association office saluting me... Looking forward to removing the stripes on 7th May.
High point - another Job Club member finding work after a successful interview last week. Such an example and encouragement to all of us.
Bit tired tonight.
Stood in the kitchen looking blankly at a butternut squash this evening for a good couple of minutes before remembering what I was meant to do with it!
Looking forward to Church and a catch-up day tomorrow.
Then into the fray once more on Monday.


-- Post From My iPhone

Technology Test

Without sounding totally starstruck and failing miserably, I am so glad that I ignored Harriet's shameless bullying, followed my instincts and chose the amazing I-phone over the BlackBerry.

This is my first attempt at an iphone blog entry, and it's incredibly intuitive.
Just added Nigella Quick app. OK - I own all her books ( looking forward to Kitchen. Sounds very cosy - very Nigella! ) & have most of these recipes on my bookshelf But a great shopping reminder and quick inspiration in extremis. Which I often am...
The pedometer app (free) should undo any calorific damage.
And the facebook app - now I have my head around it - is sleeker than the PC based model.
The chat function initially mystifying; but twigged eventually and accidentally.
One gripe. Predictive is rubbish on apostrophes. Incapable of printing its without having to correct the apostrophe "s" manually. Insists on it's as its default.
Esoteric, no doubt in this day and age...


-- Post From My iPhone

IT WAS A HAPPY EASTER...

sunrise on Park Walk - with real sun - the freedom of celebration - the Church filled with exquisite flowers - great music - real joy.

relaxed family lunch - obviously not my family!!

Aren't those meringues SO pretty? Too pretty to eat? Sadly not... Corinne's decorative grace notes are always inspired. Eat your heart out Cath Kidston!

Isabella and I dusted off our flutes for a post-prandial jam. Archie the cat - though he's not really a cat - actually a prince in cat form - presided over his willing slaves - see Camilla above.

And I even had a small piece of chocolate...

Lambs on hills as drove back along Devon/Dorset coast. I quite like the South West sometimes...

Brilliant deal on new computer today - thanks to internet capability of the Me-Phone and the Dell website. All set up and working nicely; without help from any of my tame geeks.

Touch screen single unit desktop PC.

Wildly impressed so far... cute post-it note software - you write with your finger or type as you want to.

Tempted by the Macs - till looked at the price... maybe when I have a job again!

And now, into a week of tying up loose ends, getting the second round of leaflets delivered, helping with the new Sturminster Newton Job Club, finalising the April diary and generally battening down hatches as the real storm breaks next Monday, when these ramblings will,I fear, take a more political turn.