Monday 26 January 2009

NAPAC Unmuted!

I know it's only Monday but I just wanted to mention that if you haven't bought a copy of the fantastic CD 'NAPAC Un-muted' yet (and I know you haven't) then you need to get a copy as soon as possible. It's a great collection of songs from some well known artists and all the proceeds go to ...............NAPAC. Please look at the NAPAC website and place your order. Better still buy Alix Chapel's book at the same time.......book and CD were made for each other! Thanks.
Pete

NAPAC UN-MUTED SONGLIST

1 Billy’s Song by James K
2 Same Mistake by James Blunt
3 Turn the Light on Love by Dirk McCray
4 Right Tonight by James K
5 Remember Me by James K
6 Find me an Angel by Ben’s Brother
7 It Wouldn’t Take a Miracle by Dirk McCray
8 I Would Feel Whole by James K
9 House of Cards by Lahayna
10 Coming Home by Kevin Young
11 Secrets by Paul Barns & Sue Holland
12 Carry On by Ben’s brother
13 Nightmares by Damien McCarthy
14 Amazing by Seal
15 The River by James K

Friday 23 January 2009

Welcome Mr. President

Well I warned you! Never give someone with an addictive personality something that they can easily get addicted to. I warned Barack about that when we chatted last November. I noticed in his first speech, after becoming President - Elect, that he kept saying "yes we can" and I thought, Oh boy, you've got a problem brother. So I told him not to do it during his inaugural speech and he took my advice. Also did you notice that he mentioned the importance of "nurturing our children"? Well I suggested that to him and was glad he took that advice too. I think he may prove quite a decent President - this week I am proudly wearing my stars and stripes badge to honour Bazza (as his friends like to call him) and the whole of the American people who have courageously elected him. He represents all our hopes for the future and I, for one, will pray for him everyday that he really does make the difference this world dearly needs. If you haven't watched his first speech as President I would urge you to do so. It is truly inspiring. As he stands before the Capitol buliding you may spot that he is wearing his napac badge though to the untrained eye it may appear to be the stars and stripes.

Talking of global happenings please remember our round-the-world biker Johnny Hall. I give below his blog details so you can see where he is in his brave quest to raise money for napac and the Lothlorien Centre in Scotland. Well done Johnny... we're thinking about you.

http://www.earthtrek.co.uk/

I am visiting Manchester Prison next week. I'll be talking to some of the prison officers and meeting up with a few of the prisoners. We get quite a few letters from people 'inside' and I'm sure it comes as no surprise to you to know that most of the prison population have suffered childhood abuse. That's not to say that napac is soft on crime. Quite the reverse. There are some people who need locking up (particulary child abusers) but I can't get Tony Blair's famous words out of my head "tough on crime and tough on the CAUSES of crime". Well the UK still locks up more people than just about any other European country but I'm yet to be convinced that we are being as tough on those "causes" as we should be. Come on Gordon get your finger out...........or I may have to have a word with Bazza about you!

Have a good weekend. It looks like it's going to be a wet one in London.

Pete

Wednesday 21 January 2009

I can't believe I am actually doing this, blogging two weeks in a row. Mind you, our record breaking Atlantic rower, Oliver Dudley did a blog every day in between his 12 hours of daily rowing........so I shouldn't complain. He had nothing better to do of course and I suppose if I had ten foot waves crashing over my rowing boat in the middle of the ocean I would probably do a bit of blogging to keep my mind off things. Oli came to our Christmas party. It was fantastic to see him especially as he came bearing gifts. He brought us a lovely framed picture of La Mondiale (the boat!) and crew, a beautiful book about horses by Brough Scott (signed by Brough himself) and a copy of the Guniness Book of Records 2009 which features (pg110) a picture of La Mondiale and crew. Sadly it shows the side of the boat which didn't have the NAPAC logo so we're kicking ourselves about that but it was still a fantastic achievement for NAPAC to be so closely associated with. And Oli raised a LOT of money for NAPAC into the bargain. Thanks Mate! And thanks for the question and answer session. Everyone at the party was enthralled by your ocean tales and I hope we can organise another evening just to listen to your account of this incredible record breaking journey.
Someone else who came to the party was local MP Simon Hughes (see the pics on the website). He gave out certificates to our wonderful Support Team volunteers and he has just confirmed that he would be delighted to become one of our patrons. That's good news for NAPAC as Simon is very well known, commands great respect from parliamentary colleagues (as well as the general public) and we are privileged to have him on board.....to keep up the nautical metaphors!
Those of you who know me well (the unlucky ones!) will testify that I like the sound of my own voice. Well I have to admit that I'm quite enjoying this blogging lark too BUT I must get back to work.......and to keeping an eye on those girls (those responsible for getting me into all this). Those of you fortunate not to know me but wanting to have a look and a laugh can watch me be humiliated on 'Wogans Perfect Recall' on Channel 4 at 5pm next Thursday (29th Jan). I am swiftly knocked out of the TV quiz but at least I managed to mention NAPAC a few times and even El Tel himself seemed genuinely interested in what we do..................and now that I come to think about it, it was those girls (well, Helen) that got me into that fine mess too. Thanks a bunch!

Wednesday 14 January 2009

I warned you!

I knew I wouldn't be a very good blogger. I was told as a child I would never be any blogging good to anyone. However, I am still here and pleased to announce that NAPAC has finally moved offices.............upstairs to the 4th floor. It's a bit cramped compared to downstairs but our volunteers like it and it will do us until we move into the Gerkin or the Shard of Glass depending on when the millions start flowing in!

It was such a shame that we had to close the support line over the Christmas and New Year period but the new offices are alarmed and securely locked, so to expect our people to get in would have been like asking them to break in to Fort Knox. But we are here now and happy.

We have great plans for NAPAC for 2009 and the only thing holding us back................is the lack of money. But we are working on that too. We just got past the first round of the Big Lottery application process and are keeping fingers crossed for that and we have a number of other smaller funders who have expressed a desire to support us in 2009. Bless them.

So keep watching this space (every few months mind) and I will endevour to to keep you updated.

God bless you and ............Happy New Year!
Pete
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