Joyce Lucas: Do you have a message in a bottle?
It has been said that 2015 was the year of the ‘drone’.
The start of 2016 is the year of the Hyperloop. How do you fancy travelling at 700 miles per hour, in a ‘pod’? Well it is going to happen at some point, according to Spencer Kelly who presents ‘Click’ on BBC One. The problem at the moment is how will the Hyperloop slow down?
At the start of each year we look for a New Year Resolution…or most of us do. Mine has always been to spring clean early, so this year we had a throwing out/recycling session. Old clothes, old jewellery, old sheets and blankets and unusable pots of paint. But one thing I always do is to have a look of my old medications. Are they out of date? Do I use them any more? Which led me onto checking my ‘Message in a Bottle’ container. To be absolutely correct it is not a bottle but a small plastic tub.
Inside are the instructions which reads. ‘Sponsored by your Local Lions Club’. This is a voluntary scheme for anyone at home, who might be reassured to know that essential information would be readily available to the Emergency Services should the person suffer an accident or sudden illness in the home. The scheme ensures that information is available not only to identify you, but to advise of relevant illnesses, allergies, medication and contact addresses. There is a small green sticker which should be attached to the INSIDE of the front door indicating that there is a ‘message in a bottle’ stored in your fridge in a door compartment. This idea saves time and lives. In the container is a form to fill in giving all your details plus your next of kin, any distinguishing marks and your doctor details. You need to include a recent photograph.
This is a brilliant idea and could save your life and it is supported by ambulance, police, fire and rescue services and emergency doctors. I know that the containers can be obtained from the Rutland Late Night Pharmacy, High Street Oakham as the pharmacist kindly rang me to say he had just been given a supply. By the way if you already take part in the scheme, now is a good time to update your repeat medication list.
My next topic is Oakham Angling Society. Statistics show that more people take part in angling than any other sport, and that includes football. I stress this relates to participants NOT watching the sport.
Oakham Angling Society is a well-established club which is open to all age groups who would like to join.
It is run by volunteers who fish Oakham Canal. They work extremely hard to maintain the area to a high standard and repair the tow path so it can be used not only by fishermen but to the rambling organisations, dog walkers and wheelchair users. Residents of Wilds Lodge help with some of the chores and it is good that young people are involved with outdoor pursuits and encourages everyone to take care of their environment. These young men have helped build platforms for the fisherman and have included one for the disabled anglers. They have also installed seats and bird tables.
Heritage plays an important part in the society’s aims and, as many will know, the canal was at one time the life blood of the transport system between Oakham and Melton. The volunteers regularly drag the weeds from the canal to help, not only, with their own enjoyment of fishing but this is vital work to preserve the state of the canal otherwise it would quickly silt up and be lost forever.
On a summer’s evening this is a pleasant walk but please be aware that it important to those who enjoy the sport for the need of peace and quiet . Please keep you dogs under control and pick up your pet’s waste and deposit it in the bins which are provided by the society. Also could I make a plea to keep the entrance to the tow path free for disabled anglers as I found a dog walker’s car parked so close the entrance that even able-bodied people couldn’t get through the gate. How do I know it was a dog walker’s car? It was complete with a dog cage and the steering wheel cover was patterned with dog paws.
And now for my alphabet letter of L:
L is for...Leisure. There is plenty to do if you have any spare time.
L is for...Libraries and we are lucky to have libraries in Rutland as well as a Library van which visits most villages.
L is for...the LIONS CLUB OF RUTLAND whose members do such a lot for our county. It is open to both men and women and I am sure new members would be welcomed with open arms.
And finally why when we reach the age of 16 we make out that we are 21. When we reach 40-50 we make out that we are 20 something. When we reach 70-80 we brag about it?