All Blog Posts (152)

I've spent a good part of the last three weeks competing in or travelling to or being present athletics at events designated with the title "World". I'm reasonably content with my results, except for the bits I'm not happy with. And this note is reflecting on the not quite so good bits, . . . . . And I have an opinion, about how much Heathside should help me, its other multi-eventers and athletes in general for the good of the SAL team.

It has taken me almost 10 years to…

I've had two very good weeks of interesting all-round athletics overseas. Spoiler alert - this report is very self centred and self congratulatory. Read on at your own peril. 

On the weekend of the 25/26th August I went to Delft for the World Icosathlon Championships. Lots of reasons for doing this - on 24th August I was the world champion and world record holder, but the chances were that by 27th I would no longer be either.  One reason for going was to wave goodbye to my titles in…

Luke Hollman, who plays for North Middlesex CC in Park Road N8, starred in England Under 19's victory over South Africa Under 19's.

• Luke took six wickets in the first test match, and scored 45 runs: http://www.northmiddlesexcc.co.uk/news/hollman-stars-as-england-u19-beat-south-africa-by--2324321.html
• and took more wickets in…

Gaya Gole, who plays senior cricket for North Middlesex CC, played for Middlesex in the final of the ECB Women's County Championship - T20, which Middlesex won. A photo gallery of Finals Day is here: https://www.middlesexccc.com/news/2018/07/middlesex-women-lift-t20-...

North Middlesex CC's ground is in Park Road, N8. Gaya helped coach North Middlesex Girls Teams at…

VOLUNTEERS for gardening

Sunnyside Community Gardens is looking for new volunteers to…

The centenary of some women gaining the right to vote has recently been celebrated, and local events involving the suffragettes maybe of interest.

On 7 June 1913, the Pavilion at North Middlesex Cricket Club in Park Road was almost completely destroyed by fire.  Responsibility for the blaze was claimed by The Women's Social and Political Union (The WSPU) whose members were better known as The Suffragettes, in their newspaper "The Suffragette.”  But why would …

Ethan Bamber and Luke Hollman, from North Middlesex Cricket Club in Park Road, both did well for England in the Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand. Unfortunately England were knocked out by Australia, however out two local cricketers did well. Ethan finished the competition as Englands leading wicket taker with eight wickets, and Luke finished with 6 wickets.

Here is a link to an interview on Sky TV with Luke: …

Luke Hollman and Ethan Bamber, from North Middlesex CC in Park Road, both took wickets in England's opening win in the Under 19 World Cup. This link to a page on the Middlesex county website gives the details : …

Luke Hollman and Ethan Bamber from North Middlesex Cricket Club in Park Road, N8, have been selected by England to play in the Under 19 World Cup in New Zealand. Luke and Ethan both played junior cricket for North Midd, were members of the North Midd Academy, and have been playing senior cricket for North Midd. This is a great achievement by two local cricketers, and a local cricket club. Huge congratulations, and the best of luck to Luke and Ethan!…

The Hornsey Town Hall Facebook Group invite you to a pavement procession along the Broadway.

Plan is to meet at Earl Haig Hall and then proceed in a gentle manner to a meeting in the Council Chamber inside Hornsey Town Hall. At the meeting, learn how best to object to the planning application that sells off Hornsey…

Haringey are stealthy increasing the amount it will cost to park in the 'Stop and Shop' zones - normally to increase parking charges there would have to be various procedures to follow - not this time.  Up until now people wishing to park could buy the appropriate amount of parking time from a machine - the cost of maintaining these machines being borne by Haringey.  Fearing the cost of converting the machines to accept the new £1 coins Haringey has a wonderful wheeze - remove the machines…

This evening on the way past the Central Library I noticed that a sign had been placed on one of the three very large trees outside the main body of the building explaining that it was to be removed because it was continuing to cause damage to the pavement and other solutions had proved useless.  How sad I thought, still these things happen, and then I looked at my feet on the pavement and noticed that it was not damaged to any great extent at all.  However there were three 'tree…

In March 2017 London Concrete submitted a planning application to lift restrictions imposed on their operation by a planning inspector in 2006.

A consultation letters sent to residents had very little details on the extent or impact the application would have.…

I don't often write about politics on my blog, which may be a bit odd since I studied Political Science at the Hanken School of Economics in Helsinki. I don't do this because I think if I began, I'd never write about anything else ..!

But with Trump signing a ban on certain citizens from entering the United States, together with the Brexit vote here in the UK, I am so frightened that I have to say something about it all publicly.

So today I'm making an exception…

North Middlesex CC Girls Teams are about to start their winter indoor season, and would welcome new members. Details are here:http://www.northmiddlesexcc.co.uk/news/north-midd-girls-winter-practices-and-competitions-1733246.html

 . . where few my age have gone before. 

Every so often something happens in my life which inspires me. Last weekend such a thing happened. I took part in, and did tolerably well at, an icosathlon (from the Greek icos = 20, athlon = contest). Like decathlon, you know, Daley Thompson in the Olympics, all those years ago,  only this is 20 events. Unfortunately for the world what this inspires me to is vanity and dire prose.

So what has inspired me.

1) Camarederie - two…

North Middlesex Cricket Club in Park Road  are planning to run four summer cricket camps at their ground over the holiday. 

The dates are:

Summer Cricket Camp 1 - Mon 25 July - Fri 29 July (5 days)

Summer Cricket Camp 2  - Mon 1 Aug – Fri 5 Aug (5 days)

Summer Cricket Camp 3 – Mon 22 Aug – Fri 26 Aug (5 days)

Summer Cricket Camp 4 - Tue 30 Aug - Fri 2 Sep (4 days)

The format will follow that of previous successful camps…

It's here again! The Crouch End Festival,  UK's largest community arts event, is now in its fifth year, and this, the 2016 festival will be bigger than ever.

There's everything from open air cinema, live music, art, poetry, food and even a Latino Day when Crouch End goes all Latin. Check out the programme of events between 10 - 19th June on the festival website here. Most of the events are FREE, so it's easy to take…

We are running another of our popular cricket camps at North Midd CC in Park Road N8 over the half term holiday. 

The format will be similar to previous camps with a good mixture of drills, skills coaching, net sessions and matches. We'll also have wet weather alternatives, so the camp will go ahead each day.

The camp is aimed at boys and girls aged 7 – 13 and will run from 9.30am to 3.30pm each day.

The cost is £100 for the 4 days.  Individual…

The Lady Taverners Under 11 Competition is played as a festival with all the matches being played in one day. Three teams all finished on the same number of league points, and North Middlesex was declared the overall winner on the number of runs scored. North Midd Girls received the trophy, plus medals and certificates from Pinky, the Middlesex CCC club mascot.