No it's not money I'm talking about but campaign leaflets. About 4000 have turned up from the printers today so it was my job to go and collect them from the office, together with canvass stuffers and stakeboard posters ready for distribution to all my delivery teams tomorrow.
I spent most of the morning trying to sort out glitches (that's the polite word!) on the electoral roll so we could have canvass cards printed correctly. At the last District elections whole streets had been put into the wrong ward and I had hoped that all the errors had been corrected. Not so I'm afraid.
And talking of glitches - having sorted out my PC my s*****g printer started to play up today and wouldn't print anything. So a quick trip into Bath to PC World where I bought it and wonder of wonders the chap on the help desk was actually helpful. As an ex personnel manager I'm convinced that most 'help' desks should acually be named 'unhelpful' desks - it more accurately describes the role most of them provide. Anyway all sorted now and its only been 90 minutes lost on unproductive work
The good news today is that I've had three more offers of help for deliveries and canvassing so I'm feeling a lot more comfortable about being able to get round the whole division. And the bad news is................I'm just beginning to realise that my 2 weeks of leave from the Emergency Department in the hospital where I work is shortly coming to an end. Just how I am going to do all this election stuff next week?
But back to campaign matters. Tonight there was an interesting meeting to attend in the next parish which would certainly involve me if elected. A small village school is considering how best to preserve it's future. Federation with other schools is in the air. The village hall was filled to overflowing from locals who not surprisingly feel strongly about the school - which seems to have a very good reputation. A good open discussion followed after speeches from the Chair of Governors, Head Teacher and local MP with everyone seemingly in favour of a novel 'hard' federation across county boundaries.
Now we just have to find out if this can be a workable solution.
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Canvassing begins
I've now done 2 early evening canvasses in 2 separate villages. And the first thoughts are roll on warmer weather and summertime.
The first evening we canvassed from 6 -8 pm, later than the others would have wished (but I had to fit in my granddaughters swimming lesson first!). By the time we finished I was freezing cold, it was dark, you couldn't see to write and anyway it was almost too cold to hold the pencil. Straight after the canvass we went round to a local Councillor's home to have our first formal meeting of the campaign committee.
And this was where the evening really came unstuck. In my haste to park up my new car I failed to see a low stone wall in the darkness. Result - one scraped bumper which will need the attentions of our local paint shop. I don't know if the others noticed during the meeting but I'm sure my concentration wasn't at it's normal level as at that stage I didn't know how bad the damage might be.
Anyway the team seemed to think that everything was more or less on track so - so far so good. But by the time I got home it was past ten and I didn't really feel like food at this time so another missed meal.
The next day (Wed) started with me getting quotes for the repair to the car (oh and sorting out my annual house and contents renewal) which wasn't as damaging to my credit card as I thought it might be. Then I had to pop into the campaign office to see the draft of my 1st campaign leaflet which is now at the printers. The canvass cards are delivered about 450 and then its a quick dash to the village where we are canvassing from 5 - 7 - which is a much better time as although its still very cold we finish in the light and I can get home at a civilized hour to have dinner with my wife.
The first evening we canvassed from 6 -8 pm, later than the others would have wished (but I had to fit in my granddaughters swimming lesson first!). By the time we finished I was freezing cold, it was dark, you couldn't see to write and anyway it was almost too cold to hold the pencil. Straight after the canvass we went round to a local Councillor's home to have our first formal meeting of the campaign committee.
And this was where the evening really came unstuck. In my haste to park up my new car I failed to see a low stone wall in the darkness. Result - one scraped bumper which will need the attentions of our local paint shop. I don't know if the others noticed during the meeting but I'm sure my concentration wasn't at it's normal level as at that stage I didn't know how bad the damage might be.
Anyway the team seemed to think that everything was more or less on track so - so far so good. But by the time I got home it was past ten and I didn't really feel like food at this time so another missed meal.
The next day (Wed) started with me getting quotes for the repair to the car (oh and sorting out my annual house and contents renewal) which wasn't as damaging to my credit card as I thought it might be. Then I had to pop into the campaign office to see the draft of my 1st campaign leaflet which is now at the printers. The canvass cards are delivered about 450 and then its a quick dash to the village where we are canvassing from 5 - 7 - which is a much better time as although its still very cold we finish in the light and I can get home at a civilized hour to have dinner with my wife.
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
I've had a 3 day rest from blogging but not from the campaign. Saturday morning was spent researching affordable housing issues while in the afternoon my wife volunteered to go out delivering in the village while I went to Coleford to meet our local councillors, members and deliverers in that area. There's something very civilised about starting a meeting with scones, jam and clotted cream in a lovely old farmhouse. By the time I got home about 630 we decided to finish the day by walking all of 20 metres to our local pub to have a meal there.
On Sunday I managed to deliver leaflets to the parts of the village my wife hadn't got to and the weather stayed dry which was a bonus - but she must have done at least two thirds of the village.
Easter Monday started early with our re-arranged visit to the Thermae Bath Spa. We decided to start off in the rooftop open air pool just after 9am. Its unbelievably warm - almost hot - which together with all the bubbles from the jacuzzi nozzles created a quite surreal effect on what was a cold rainy day. By the time our session finished about 1130 we certainly felt completely relaxed and it was an effort to do anything else at all for the rest of the day. To shake off our lethargy we took a bundle of leaflets and went delivering round some of the more isolated hamlets and single dwellings around the more remote areas of the division.
As my wife was using her (green) car it's now what I would call army camouflage colour from all the wet, muddy lanes- so that's another cleaning job for me sometime.
On Sunday I managed to deliver leaflets to the parts of the village my wife hadn't got to and the weather stayed dry which was a bonus - but she must have done at least two thirds of the village.
Easter Monday started early with our re-arranged visit to the Thermae Bath Spa. We decided to start off in the rooftop open air pool just after 9am. Its unbelievably warm - almost hot - which together with all the bubbles from the jacuzzi nozzles created a quite surreal effect on what was a cold rainy day. By the time our session finished about 1130 we certainly felt completely relaxed and it was an effort to do anything else at all for the rest of the day. To shake off our lethargy we took a bundle of leaflets and went delivering round some of the more isolated hamlets and single dwellings around the more remote areas of the division.
As my wife was using her (green) car it's now what I would call army camouflage colour from all the wet, muddy lanes- so that's another cleaning job for me sometime.
Friday, 21 March 2008
Good Friday didn't start too good. We were sitting in the kitchen having an early breakfast as we were planning to go to the new Bath Spa this morning when my wife said 'There's something funny on the shed roof'. It turned out that the overnight storm had ripped off most of the centre section of felt from the roof and from a distance it looked just like a curled up furry animal. So no Bath Spa and off to the DIY shop to get some felt and repair the roof before we get more rain and wind.
Having taken all morning to repair the shed I thought I would attack my emails this afternoon. But now the PC is misbehaving and won't let me open any attachments - one of which I can see is the campaign timetable which I need urgently. Does anyone else ever feel like throwing their PC out the window? So I've put in a call to my local IT expert who is out fixing someone else's PC and I'm hoping that once he gets my message he will appear like a knight on a white charger and sort out all my PC problems.
When my PC is working life's fine but when it isn't life is incredibly frustrating.
One more call to make today to get another signature on my nomination paper and this is an important one. The widow of a former County Councillor for this Division has agreed to sign my nomination form. Her husband was a highly respected Councillor and held the education portfolio but most importantly was just a very nice man. I feel privileged to be trying to follow in his footsteps - but I'll be happy just to get elected and be a good Councillor for my Division
Having taken all morning to repair the shed I thought I would attack my emails this afternoon. But now the PC is misbehaving and won't let me open any attachments - one of which I can see is the campaign timetable which I need urgently. Does anyone else ever feel like throwing their PC out the window? So I've put in a call to my local IT expert who is out fixing someone else's PC and I'm hoping that once he gets my message he will appear like a knight on a white charger and sort out all my PC problems.
When my PC is working life's fine but when it isn't life is incredibly frustrating.
One more call to make today to get another signature on my nomination paper and this is an important one. The widow of a former County Councillor for this Division has agreed to sign my nomination form. Her husband was a highly respected Councillor and held the education portfolio but most importantly was just a very nice man. I feel privileged to be trying to follow in his footsteps - but I'll be happy just to get elected and be a good Councillor for my Division
Yesterday was meant to be an easy day getting my nomination form signed by 10 supporters. But its Easter and everyone seems to be out enjoying themselves - they're certainly not waiting at home just in case I give them a call. So a frustrating day which saw me chasing all round the local villages but by tea time I had eight signatures and lots of good conversation from supportive members of our local branch. And also the promise of another 2 signatures to complete my form by the end of the weekend.
In between times I've managed to meet the outgoing Treasurer of the Ridings (a local charity which provides voulunteer drivers to those in the community who have no access to public transport or their own car and need to go to places like hospital, doctors etc) so he can hand over to me as the new Treasurer. Oh and I'v managed to get a fault on my new (2nd hand) car sorted out so not a bad day. My turn to cook at home tonight - fraid it's only a bubble and squeak type meal of leftovers I've found in the fridge. Why does it always seem to taste better 2nd time around? - or is it the red wine I've just poured a generous glass of.
In between times I've managed to meet the outgoing Treasurer of the Ridings (a local charity which provides voulunteer drivers to those in the community who have no access to public transport or their own car and need to go to places like hospital, doctors etc) so he can hand over to me as the new Treasurer. Oh and I'v managed to get a fault on my new (2nd hand) car sorted out so not a bad day. My turn to cook at home tonight - fraid it's only a bubble and squeak type meal of leftovers I've found in the fridge. Why does it always seem to taste better 2nd time around? - or is it the red wine I've just poured a generous glass of.
Thursday, 20 March 2008
Well this is my very first post on a blog. Will any one read it? My campaign team (I'll just call them C and D) thought that this would be something new to try for the just announced election for the Somerset County Council division of Mendip NE. And this is all due to the previous councillor being disqualified from office. So having expressed an interest in standing for the County Council elections in May 2009 all of a sudden I find myself going through a hastily convened approval panel and then branch selection and am now the candidate for an election due to be held in about 6 weeks time. So how do I feel - well I think the panic could well set in if I let it.
Yesterday was the first day of campaign pre-work. Out and around the division with a photographer to have plenty of election photos ready and then back in the Constituency office to go through the draft campaign timetable. I was allowed home on condition I got all the 10 signed names on the nomination paper by Tuesday next - and this over the Easter weekend when nearly everyone I want to see is away. Who is running this campaign? - i've just realised it's not me! (only joking C!) Home about four to meet my seven year old grandaughter who has come to tea with a friend. By the time she's gone home to Mum and Dad its nearly seven and then its on the PC to see what the campaign team have sent me. It's the first draft of the campaign literature for me to read, amend, approve This took until nearly midnight. And so to bed - only another 7 weeks to go - hope I last out!
Yesterday was the first day of campaign pre-work. Out and around the division with a photographer to have plenty of election photos ready and then back in the Constituency office to go through the draft campaign timetable. I was allowed home on condition I got all the 10 signed names on the nomination paper by Tuesday next - and this over the Easter weekend when nearly everyone I want to see is away. Who is running this campaign? - i've just realised it's not me! (only joking C!) Home about four to meet my seven year old grandaughter who has come to tea with a friend. By the time she's gone home to Mum and Dad its nearly seven and then its on the PC to see what the campaign team have sent me. It's the first draft of the campaign literature for me to read, amend, approve This took until nearly midnight. And so to bed - only another 7 weeks to go - hope I last out!
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