Not quite John Noakes

Photo: It's Andy from Blue Peter who was sat just a few croissants away from me!


Just back from a trip up north to Aviemore, the small town famed for it's skiing. I was there for the national Scottish Christian Youth Workers Conference. Because Mr MacDonald of the MacDonald hotels is one too (Christian not a youth worker), he gives us a huge discount at his Highland Resort. £90 full board for 2 nights + use of all the facilities. A bargain and it was tempting not to go to any of the conference and just sit in the sauna all weekend. However I did get along to a few seminars all about youth work and stuff like that and it was actually really good. I enjoyed meeting fellow workers from across Scotland and nicking some ideas. It was also great food and at the hot buffet the dilemma of should I have the salmon with a prawn/dil sauce or the Thai curry? The answer is to put a line of rice and veg in the middle of your plate and have both either side.

One of the big surprises at breakfast was finding a Blue Peter presenter sitting at a table. 'Andy' was in Aviemore to report on the National Husky Racing Championships. I'd just thought everyone has a husky in Avimore until I realised they too were visitors. Anyway, I was tempted to go and say hello, grab a photo, etc of the man with a Blue peter suitcase. But by the time I had piled my plate high with the full English, Danish's, fresh fruit and cereals, he was gone. Shame really as he is one of the most genuine presenters they have had since John Noakes. I made the mistake the other day of watching Blue Peter. Oh dear! Apart from this fella, the BBC have stooped to employing presenters purely on the basis of their annoying regional accent. okay, it worked for Noakes but really I don't want to have the serious issues of genocide, famine etc being presented by some Lancashire lass who would be better placed behind the bar at the Rovers. bring back Shep!