July always seems a busy month with a lot going on at both the national and local levels. After a somewhat damp start to June, and a subsequent hot spell, I'm sure we're all hoping for a more seasonal July, as are all the organizers for the many festivals and events. Of course, we have our own Mid-Summer 20th Anniversary Celebration at Norwood Park to look forward to, and I hope to see many of you there for a fun evening.
Southwell also has the Gate to Southwell Festival where many of you are helping to make it the success it has been for the past 18 years, and more will be enjoying the music (and recalling how cold English summer nights can get). Speaking of weather again, The Proclaimers are playing, and I've always considered their songs to be hugely optimistic. Never mind "I can walk 500 miles" as that is certainly possible, but "Sunshine on Leith"—really? There's always been an east coast "haar" or sea fret when we've been nearby!
At the national level, there are the great sporting events of Wimbledon, the British Grand Prix, and The Open golf. Of course, the big sporting event of June/July is the World Snail Racing Championships in Kings Lynn (actually, it's the Football World Cup, but snail racing sounds as exciting and comes with far less political influence)! The World Cup reminds me of one of those questions: "Where were you when...?" In this case, when England won in 1966. As an eight-year-old schoolboy at the time, the whole tournament was a huge event—particularly as my best friend was half-German. My dad had been lucky enough to go to some of the earlier games and had bought me an England rosette which I wore proudly. Apparently, the final is the most-watched event ever on British television, attracting over 32 million viewers. However, one of those was not me!
My cousins lived, at that time, in the Gilbert Islands (now Kiribati). They used to stay with us during school holidays, but that Saturday was the day we had to take them to Heathrow to catch a plane back home. As such, my recollection of the game was listening to it on an old transistor radio in the back of my dad's car—an old Austin Cambridge. Curiously, I can still remember its number plate even though I always have to go back and check my own when I park in the Minster Car Park and try to pay!
As you might imagine, the sound quality wasn't the best; when someone scored, it took us a few moments to work out which team it was. However, it was still a memorable occasion, and I can recall sitting in the car park at Heathrow listening to the final moments.
I'm sure the current event will be as exciting for eight-year-old schoolchildren this year. My own interest has, perhaps, waned a little since then and I'm not quite as enthusiastic about this tournament. Some might say that's just getting older; I'd say it's because there will likely never be another day when the captain of England and all the goal scorers in a World Cup win come from West Ham!
Whether you'll be watching the World Cup or any of the other big sporting events, attending any of the festivals, or just working in the garden or allotment trying to stop the pigeons from eating the results of your hard work, enjoy July and all it has to offer.
Mike Freemantle
Chair