| "Bob
deserves one of the country’s highest honours..."
 My
wife Chris and I had a most welcome visitor recently
when our very good friend from Frenchay, Bob Woodward,
called in on his way to Barnstaple.
Many of you might remember Bob as the founder member
of CLIC(cancer and leukaemia in childhood), the West
Country charity that has raised millions of pounds
to help children stricken with the disease, and also
support their families.
Bob was of great support to me during and after my
prostate cancer problem, and his kindness has been
invaluable to Chris and me since she was diagnosed
with PSP. Whenever he looks in, always with a beautiful
display of flowers, he is of such great comfort to
both of us, and never fails to lift our spirits.
On a previous visit, he even brought his Olympic torch
for Chris to see, just in case she had not seen one
close up. She loves the photo of her holding it.
He started CLIC in 1976 after his son Robert had been
diagnosed with cancer two years earlier. Sadly, when
he died in 1977 at the age of 11, Bob then dedicated
his life to charity. In this time, he has been involved
in raising over £100m for deserving causes.
Although his dedicated work has been recognised -
locally in 2010 by our sister-paper the Post's "Post/First
Gold Star Award", and then a "Lifetime Achievement
Award" in ITV's Pride of Britain 2011 - what does
this remarkable man have to do to be granted either
a MBE or a Knighthood.
Surely, that's the very least he deserves, and now
that, at the age of 80, he has retired from fund-raising
- I don't believe that for a minute - what better
time would there be to give him one of the highest
honours in the land?
Bob,
you know you are most welcome in our house anytime.
Who
says you should never go back? It doesn't seem to
have done Yeovil Town manager Gary Johnson any harm.
If his team beat Brentford on Sunday to gain promotion
to the Championship, I think he should be given the
Freedom of Yeovil.
It seems ironic that while his old club, Bristol City,
is already relegated, next year he could be managing
the only West Country team in the Championship.
City supporters can only dream of where City might
be now if he had been left to carry on the good work
he'd already done down The Gate.
I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing Gary, Yeovil
Town and their supporters, the very best of luck.
Enjoy the wonderful experience of a Wembley final.
Not
all of you will be going to Wembley, so we look forward
to seeing you at Wookey Hole for the The Wurzels first
ever visit to the Theatre there!
(Reprinted
with kind permission of The
Western Daily Press.)
|
