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Participants also have to swim a “recognised” stroke, and unfortunately for many – “doggy paddle” does not count.

“This event is going to be a big team effort,” she said. “After hurdles with paperwork, the girls got the green light from the council, which has only left one week to raise funds.”

She said the support of local businesses has been overwhelming, as has national transport company AirRoad – who have pledged to match all donations made through their AirRoad foundation.

Ms Edson said it is hard to describe how living in a rural community has helped her through the difficult time of her illness.

“In a short space of time I have joined a new family, moved to a new place and new community and had this new impact in my life,” she said.

“I am a city girl by heart and new to the area then all of a sudden I have this massive support network behind me – despite people not knowing me for very long.

“It is like the whole town works as a team. It is amazing how many people have got on board to help with this event already.

“I am delighted so many local people have shown a genuine interest in the MS society and this event and that people I barely know are putting so much effort into supporting me and supporting the cause.

“The passion these people have is extraordinary. Passion not just only for a newcomer like me, but for the cause.

“I have been brought to tears so many times in the past few weeks.”

To donate go to http://fundraising .ms.asn.au/stefanie_jane_edson

SMALL-scale farmers would have a better chance of succeeding if the government finalised the regulatory framework enabling independent players to get into the generation of energy, including electricity and biofuels, says Tongaat Hulett CEO Peter Staude.

Tongaat Hulett is one of the companies lobbying the government to relax the regulations and open up the energy generation sector to various agricultural processing industries, which would also create a new market for smallholder farmers.

Mr Staude said in an interview last week that the slow pace of consolidating the policy framework for electricity co-generation as well as the biofuels sector was frustrating the industry. It was also stunting a potentially huge new market that could see farmers, both commercial and emerging ones, planting more crops for the production of biofuels.

“Undoubtedly, this would assist the government to realise its main objective of creating sustainable jobs in rural areas,” he said.

In terms of SA’s draft Biofuels Industrial Strategy, the country plans to achieve a 2% penetration for biofuels in liquid fuel, or an estimated 400-million litres a year. Crops proposed for biofuel production include sugar cane and sugar beet for bio-ethanol, and sunflower, canola and soya beans for biodiesel.

The government, along with other stakeholders like the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), was due to invest in a pilot bio-ethanol plant to be built at Cradock in the Eastern Cape. The plant would source sugar beet and sorghum from local small-scale farmers and was set to improve the quality of life for rural communities through a guaranteed market for growers.

Mr Staude said Tongaat Hulett would like the government to support proposals allowing the sugar industry to enter the biofuels production market. The industry had the potential to increase the production of bio-ethanol to 5% of SA’s fuel consumption by using the sugar surplus of between 600000 and 1-million tons, which is currently exported.

SA uses about 12-billion litres of petrol a year, produced from crude oil and coal. If the country produced bio-ethanol, it could create an “E2 blend” requiring 240-million litres of ethanol to be mixed with petrol, or an “E10 blend” requiring 1200-million litres of ethanol a year from the annual sugar surplus alone.

It was estimated that a new biofuel plant built from scratch could cost the state about R3,5bn. However, if conversions of existing sugar mills were made to include ethanol production, the capital costs associated with the four existing mills would be between R500m and R700m for each conversion.

Southern African Bioenergy Association president Andrew Makenete said it was puzzling why the government has not finalised the policy despite the Cabinet’s thorough understanding of the positive spin-offs to all farmers of opening the market.

He said SA was lagging behind countries like Swaziland and Malawi which already had biofuels companies supplying the national grid with their surplus electricity. Malawi’s bio-ethanol blending was already at 15%.

By Nick Collins

Published on Monday 6 February 2012 08:00

As a big fan of the whole 90s’ ‘Brit Rock’ era, it was great to see Steve Cradock perform in such an intimate venue.

With support coming from local artists, it was The Harassments who got the night started, before The Realists took over and whipped The Rifle Club into a frenzy. Grant Melin followed with his well crafted acoustic set which received a wonderful reaction from the steadily crowing crowd.

With the Rifle Club raring to go, Steve Cradock and his band took to the stage to a warm welcome. It must have felt strange for the former Ocean Colour Scene man to play in such a cosy venue, but it didn’t show as the band dove straight into their acoustic set of tracks old and new. The crowd loved it as the band’s soft, nostalgic sound that echoed of past greats such as the Beatles flooded the Fratton venue. It was a cracking gig.

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Laing Middle School of Science and Technology is pleased to recognize the following students for their academic achievements in the first semester of the school year:

All-A Honor Roll:

6th Grade:  Ciara Armstrong, Owen Bailey, Kennedy Bennett, Erin Blair, Andrew Bogatkevich, Elijah Bull, Katie Casey, Harper Catalano, Allison Drennan, Will Frame, Graham Free, Peyton Funkhouser, Joy Gay, Allissa Geesaman, Lydia Heath, Christian Horst, Robert Hughes, Garrett Kelly, Emma Larsen, Olivia Leggett, Bryan Lin, Calvin Livesey, Chloe Mattila, Nadja McGlone, Isabelle  McGrath, Mary Claire Newsom, Kiah Norton, Joseph Olazabel, Trinitie Ortiz, Maddison Parker, Julia Phelps, Berkeley Robinson, Hailey Ryan, Emma Scott, Matilda Seay, Riey Seay, Adam Shokes, Derek Sireci, Shaiane Tran, Alec Waring, Emily White, Stephen Winn, Lily Wooters, Amanda Younglund, Julia Zimmerman
7th Grade:  Hannah Betfort, Jarrod Bohr, Madeline Davidson, Thomas Dorfner, Shayna Faust, Taylor Horst, Reagin Hunter, Cory Johnson, Mackenzie Katz, Martyn Lemon, Francesca Mathewes, Oliver Michaud, Mark Militzer, Matthew Pitts, Keon Rezaeerod, Hailey Ross, Joshua Simer, Elliott Suggs, Andrew Waddell, Samantha Winn.

8th Grade:  Gillian Armstrong, Emma Cohen, Tyra Greene, Kate Harper, Alexandra Hickey, Emily McGee, Andrew McGreevy, Shani Mueller, Jordan Novak, Dylan Robinson, Vasantha Sambamurti, Monika Schindwolf, Savannah Seeber, Hailey Sobota.

A-B Honor Roll:

6th Grade:  Adelaide Bates, Marguerite Beauston, Cassidy Blair, Christopher Bonney, Davy Bouchelle, Haden Bowden, Ethan Bradley, Lora Bridgman, Josh Campbell, Ethan Carter, Jahmar Coakley, James Corgill, Justin Counasse, Rory Cradock, Anthony Cummings, Kate Dantzscher, Alexandra Davey, Ashton Donnelly, Dillan Drymon, Naomi Duvall, Jacob Fisher, Camryn Gamble, James Gillam, Dylan Goulah, Harris Grant, Coltan Green, Jonathan Green, Jacob Hamrick, Owen Hickey, Remington Hough, Madeline Jamme, Kaijhana Johnson, Keionna Johnson, Lauren Joyner, Pratt Kemp, Benjamin Kicklighter, Steven LaBrecque, Daniel Lovasz, Tyler Ann Lowder, Adela Luebchow, Lamar Mackey, Bria Maiden, Amari Manigault, Makayla Mathewes, Sanaye Mazyck, Conner McCarthy, Emma McKenna, Fern McLaughlin, Liam Murphy, Lee Murphy, Eli Mustafa, Evan Nelson, Thomas Nick, Charlie Porter, Brett Price, Kassie Puzzello, Ryan Quick, Armani Reese, Hayes Renedo, Kyra Rettew, SyMira Richardson, Camden Roller, Isabel Root, Allison Ruopoli, Tiara Salaam, Zanaya Salaam, Joey Salata, Sean Santos, Michael Schaaf, Albert Schmidt, Bailey Skelton, Tyler  Smith, Patrick Spychalski, Emma Stark, Mason Stonestreet, Patrick Sughrue, Saige Sutterlin, Jack Tessier, MacKenzie Tisdale, Richard Tran, Abby Troy, Conner Tully, Jackson Walls, Imani Weston, James Williams, Zoe Wirszyla, A’Naya Wright.

7th Grade:  Joe Baker, Morrison Baldwin, Monique Bligen, Ryan Bohr, Andre Boucher, Bryan Brosnan, Collin Buckhannon, Russell Cochrane, Specer Cowart, Monica Fox, Camille Gallagher, Ryan Gawryluk, Jeremia Grant, Peyton Hall, Cayla Harding, Alexandra Herron, Hunter Higgins, Isabella Hollowell, Jalen Johnson, Madeline Kemp, Caroline Limbaker, Daniel MacArthur, Jalen Mauldin, Nicholette Mazyck, Paul Millar, Brooke Mitchell, Annastasia Perryman, Zella Roberts, Anna Rose Rossi, Hannah Rothkopf, Erica Scott, Zachary Shaarda, Cierra Smalls, Jacqueline Smith, Mackenzie Sprott, Walter Staley, Gabrielle Stewart, Regan Thorpe.

8th Grade:  Macarena Baez, Dawson Bailey, Chris Baltimore, Catherine Beaty, Kelsey Bianco, Danielle Brown, Dion Campbell, Deonna Clark, Gray Coker, Emma Crowfoot, Kelley Duris, Carrie Evans, Dylan Freeman, Robert Gardner, Bianca Garsys, Wil Gates, Kayla Glover, Jessie Gordon, Skyla Gregg, Rebecca Groves, Hannah Hartney, Derek Hastings, Chris Hicks, Mary Hirsch, Gavin Howley, Caroline Ingram, Briggs Kemp, Kyle Kentros, Victoria Leighton, Monica Lopez, Mira Lovett, Carly McDavid, Brandon McGee, Kyle McGue, Sebastian Parker, Jodi Plotkin, Sharonda Polite, Laura Rodriguez-Mixon, Jessica Rodriguez-West, Emily Rogers, Steven Runck, Jeffrey Ryan, Caroline Safford, Lauren Santiago, Nicholas Schwartz, Taylor Scott, Shana Slavin, Elizabeth Tetor, Jojo Thompkins, Autumn Tokai, Sarah Tully, Hailey Twombly, Michael Ullrich, Victoria Watson, Clara Wooters, Ann Wright, Marli Wright.

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The scoring title was on the line, and Ricky Michaelsen needed a strong finish.

Booker T. Washington’s Roy Ebron had poured in 82 points – yes, 82 – in his season finale. Michaelsen, then a Princess Anne senior, entered the final week of the 1969-70 regular season more than 100 points behind.

Michaelsen scored 40 points against Cradock, then with Ebron watching from the bleachers, scorched Wilson for 69.

“We played a 1-3-1 defense and trapped them,” Michaelsen remembered this week. “We used the fast break all night, and I got the scoring title.”

Michaelsen, 59, is looking forward to reminiscing about that season when he returns to Princess Anne today for a reunion of the school’s 1969-70 basketball team. Michaelsen, who hasn’t been back in more than 25 years, his teammates and coach Leo Anthony will be honored during Princess Anne’s game tonight against First Colonial.

“It’s going to be great,” said Michaelsen, who also played at Old Dominion. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

Virginia has produced great high school basketball players who went on to stardom in the NBA, including Allen Iverson, Moses Malone and Alonzo Mourning.

But Michaelsen averaged more points than any of them during that remarkable 1969-70 season – and more points than any player ever in South Hampton Roads.

“I would say he was one of the best players to ever come out of this area,” Anthony said. “He was just unbelievable.”

The 6-foot-4 Michaelsen averaged 39.6 points in 1969-70, then a Virginia High School League record. It still ranks third on the all-time list and is the best by a player from South Hampton Roads.

“And we didn’t have the 3-point line then,” Michaelsen said from his home in Palm Bay, Fla. “If we did I could have averaged at least 10 points more.”

The most recent local player to come close to Michaelsen’s scoring average was Cradock’s Petey Sessoms in 1990-91 when he averaged 32.5 points.

This season’s leader averages less than 21 points per game.

During that 1969-70 season, Michaelsen scored 50 or more points four times, including 69 against Wilson and 65 against Deep Creek. Those totals rank seventh and eighth, respectively, on the VHSL all-time list.

He finished that season with 771 points, which was then third all-time for VHSL players and currently is 24th. And his career scoring average of 28.8 over the 1968-69 and 1969-70 seasons is second in VHSL history.

Michaelsen and Ebron were named to The Virginian-Pilot’s first All-Tidewater team in 1970. The newspaper gushed that Michaelsen, “jumps well and can score from 25-30 feet all night or drive underneath to make twisting lay-ups.”

Current Maury coach Jack Baker agreed with that assessment. He played for Maury against Michaelsen and the two were teammates at ODU.

“He was a good player because he was tough to guard and he could shoot the ball,” Baker said. “But he also was big enough to go inside and score. You really had to work hard to try and control him.”

Anthony said Michaelsen also benefitted from being able to get to the foul line.

“Over the summer he worked on his ballhandling and getting to the basket,” Anthony said. “That’s how he went from averaging 18 points as a junior to 39 as a senior. It was amazing how much he could score.”

Michaelsen’s favorite memory, though, isn’t of his individual scoring.

“No, my most memorable game was when we beat Deep Creek 136-40,” he said, adding that the Hornets were scoreless in the first quarter. “Leo was trying to make a statement about who was the best team in the state.”

After high school, Michaelsen played three seasons at ODU, where he ranks sixth in career field-goal percentage (.553) and 14th in career three-throw percentage (.787).

Michaelsen later moved to Florida, where he’s in the real estate and construction business. He’s divorced and has two sons, Hunter, 14, and Joseph, 5.

Neither of his sons play basketball, but Michaelsen coaches an elite travel team. His players always want to know if he was any good.

“They always ask me, ‘How many points did you score?’” Michaelsen said. “I tell them, ‘A lot.’ Then one will say, ‘Well, I average 14 points.’ And I’ll tell them, ‘I used to get that in the first quarter.’”

Larry Rubama, 757-446-2273, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com

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Once upon a time, most general cookery books included chapters on “invalid cookery”, conjuring images of valetudinarians, coaxed into spooning up bowlfuls of thin gruels, arrowroot jelly and sago milk pudding. I thought of this recently when my family were beset with endless rounds of colds and bugs. Modern cookery books aren’t much help – recipes are either too rich and indulgent or focus on specific diseases, with little on general illness. So I find myself supplementing advice from mother and aunt with that from the older books.

Colds aren’t so hard – adults are happy with toddies, soup and anything spicy, my mother-in-law keeps me supplied with Johar Joshanda which is better than any Lemsip, and the kids love fruity, honey sweetened jellies and sorbets. It’s harder to find nutritous food for stomachs upset by medication or gastroenteritis. The general advice is solid common sense. Don’t ask your patient what they want – choose easily digested food you know they like. Avoid unexpected textures – gristle, bone, lumps. Small, varied portions are best, think tempting morsels. My mother was brilliant at this and an expert at arranging a tray – I try to do the same for my family now.

The recipes in the books I looked at had changed little from the 1700s to the 1950s. There are strange omissions – potatoes (good for bland starchiness) don’t get a look in, which I find odd, as they are the first thing I want to eat when ill (crisps, chips or mash). Honey is almost always overlooked in favour of sugar. Herbs, spices and vegetables are under-used. One of the few references to curry comes from the pseudonymous Mistress Dods and contains a healthy amount of garlic, chilli, ginger and turmeric. Few specific illnesses are addressed, although Hannah Glasse bizarrely offers a sage liquor for treating thrush in children.

Many dishes don’t suit the modern palate; tripe, gruels, milk puddings (also not good fare for phlegmy colds) feature frequently, as do some very odd combinations – Agnes Jekyll recommends a lunch of toast, spread with chestnut puree, topped with slices of pheasant and garnished with gravy and warmed plums. At least this has flavour, but I find it is unpalatable as Mrs Beeton’s toast sandwich – I prefer instead Marguerite Patten’s marmite or bone marrow on toast. Incidentally, Marguerite Patten is a great believer in Vitamin B rich marmite – she also adds it to milk and soup as it helps “combat the fatigue of illness” and gives flavour to otherwise bland food. I would add that anything umami can help increase a listless appetite.

All the books acknowledge that fluids are key with any illness, so I tried a few variations. Barleywater was the surprise hit – it’s cheap and simple to make and soothing on the stomach, especially if you don’t add lemon. Whey turned out to be a good alternative when milk was too rich. Soups, jellies, custards are perfect for slipping down easily, though chicken soup – seen as a universal panacea – is trumped by the cookery writers back then by beef tea. I prefer chicken but beef tea (really beef broth) is excellent if you are self-medicating – turn it into bullshot with a good glug of vodka.

My other main success was savoury jellies. When I mention them the majority reaction is disgust. I have no idea why – they are restorative, sustaining and championed by some of my favourite chefs (Fergus Henderson’s trotter gear, Simon Hopkinson’s chicken in aspic) and a cooling alternative to soup. The children in my family had no preconceptions and loved them, especially a beef one I coloured with beetroot. My absolute favourite takes Jewish penicillin to its xenith – Fanny Cradock tells us to smash up some chicken, put it in a jar, cover with cheap brandy and simmer (a slow cooker will do it) for 24 hours before straining. As she says – it’s miraculous.

Have you ever discovered an archaic recipe which you turn to in times of illness? Have you any recipes handed down to you that you swear by?

With growing impetus on us to eat healthily, to eat fresher, more locally sourced and sustainable produce, nationwide interest in cookery and food products as a whole has risen. The past few years has seen the ceremonious rise of the celebrity chef. Gone of the days of Fanny Cradock and Delia Smith, the latest generation of cookery programmes are lively, upbeat and inspiring. Stereotypically the domain of women, the kitchen now plays host to a greater number of men than ever before. Cooking has become a universal act, enjoyed across the genders. As we become more daring in our culinary ventures and as food ingredients arrive in ever more exotic forms, the need to properly harness them and churn out tasty dishes has risen. IntotheBlue is the online home of the cookery activities and experiences, providing customers with the skills and vision needed to embark on their own cooking successes.

There is no doubt that the prospect of producing something new, something radiating sensual taste and aroma is exciting. Food ingredients are so incredibly varied there needs never be the same dish produced twice. IntotheBlue taps in to the cultural cooking techniques of dishes from around the globe – Thai, Spanish, Middle Eastern, Indian, Japanese and much more and offers a variety of activities based on these delights. It is the choice of the customer to decide which they are most inspired by. Though on the other hand, for those wanting to explore something new, IntotheBlue can offer something exciting. This is the point, customers can either hone existing skills or develop entirely new ones, the choice is theirs.

The choice of cookery courses in the UK are endless – amongst the most popular and interesting is perhaps the master chef cook and 2 for 1 dining. This option is especially interesting, notably so as it is chaired by Anne Hood – ex BBC Masterchef contestant. Two and a half days of cooking and dining, tailored around one of three possible courses – ‘Easy Eating’, ‘Seafood Extravaganza’ and ‘Beginner Gourmet Dining’. All of the programmes IntotheBlue have available from Cupcakes and Cocktails to afternoon teas are thoroughly detailed. Including everything from when the course is available to where it is hosted, even including possible numbers of guests. In addition to the cookery side, real foodies can enjoy a chocolate making course, and those partial to the odd glass of wine, vineyard tours.

So, if in search of a cookery master class of the highest level of professionalism be sure to visit www.intotheblue.co.uk/culinary-gourmet/cooking/cookery-courses.

Tough gelding, Shot Putt has been awarded the Central District’s Racing Association (CDRA) ‘Horse Of The Year’ title for the 2011 – 2012 season.

A 12 person panel drawn from throughout the region met at Dubbo last week to judge the award.

From an original field of seven, Shot Putt, Izababe and Platinum Skye were selected as the finalists.

Subsequently, Shot Putt took the title with nine votes while Izababe received three votes.

Trained at Cowra by Kevin White, Shot Putt is raced by Kevin White, Jenny White, Todd White, Barry Wall, Steve Mason, Belinda Green and Paul Cradock, all from Cowra and was bred by Dr Cradock.

During the season, Shot Putt had an incredible 27 starts, reading eight wins and six placings.

Shot Putt won TAB races at Wagga Wagga, Parkes, Wellington (twice) and Hawkesbury while winning non-TAB races at Gilgandra (Harry McKechnie Cup), Grenfell and the Condobolin Picninc Cup.

Shot Putt and Hawkesbury trained, Drop Of Magic with eight wins each won the most races in NSW for the season while Shot Putt with five wins won the most races in the CDRA region.

Trained at Dubbo by Peter Nestor, Izababe only had five starts for the season but proved to be a quality galloper.

Izababe won the Dubbo Cup, Coonabarabran Cup and the Bengalla Cup at Musswellbrook.

Brilliant sprinter, Platinum Skye trained at Parkes by Sharon Jeffries had six starts for the season.

Platinum Skye won the Harvey Norman Cup Day Sprint at Coonamble, a 1000 metre sprint on the Randwick inside track and the Thunderbolt at Queanbeyan.

Platinum Skye also finished second in the Flat Knacker at Albury and third in the Scone Quality.

The other CDRA trained horses considered for the award were Jali (trainer Mark Wilton, Gulgong), True Jeune (Peter W. Stanley, Orange), Nuisance (Fred Heanes, Bathurst) and Snowy On The Tram (Terry Fahey, Dubbo).

Presentation of the award will take place at an upcoming meeting (date to be announced).

Published on Thursday 26 January 2012 18:33

It’s all a bit mysterious.

Colette Byrne is a prophetic but blind Catwoman, and Brendan Corcoran can travel through time.

And, no, it isn’t another staging of a Watergate pantomime – it’s Watergate Productions’ performance of Marina Carr’s By the Bog of Cats from January 31 to February 4.

The play is set in a “bleak, ghostly landscape” in the Midlands in the recent past, the play’s title taken from the place where the main character, Hester Swaine, was born.

“It has huge significance,” Colette says of the bog – which, appropriately, preserves elements of the past, unchanged. “It holds childhood memories and very important memories for people, and it keeps drawing them back to the era when times were good. It is a huge pull back for people that can’t let go.”

The play’s story, Brendan notes, is loosely based on Euripedes’ ancient Greek tragedy Medea.

“It’s described as the ‘prophetic tale of Hester Swaine, an Irish Traveller, who attempts to come to terms with a lifetime of abandonment in a world where all whom she has loved have discarded her’. It is ‘one woman’s courageous attempt to lay claim to that which is hers’.”

“That which is hers” includes her family, her homeland …

“Her everything, really,” Colette says. “Her man is going and her house is going. Her land is going. They want her out of the area, they want to take her daughter from her, and the man with whom she has a relationship has moved on. So she really is out on her own and everybody wants her out of the area, away from the Bog of Cats – which she loves and which she is drawn to.”

Directed by Gerry Cody, the cast also includes Michelle O’Flanagan, Rachel Leydon, Sean Gaffney, Mary Cradock, Anne O’Keeffe, Paddy Behan, Gemma Grant, Fergal Miller, Donal O’Brien, David Thompson and Sean Hackett.

Colette is playing the role of Catwoman, and she says: “I am delighted to be playing her. She is a wonderful character.”

“I see her as being a type of Biddy Early type of character,” she continues. “Biddy Early early lived in County Clare and could see into the future with her glass bottle. Now, this woman can’t do that, but the Catwoman is blind but she sees things that are going to happen.”

She also continually sends out her warning: “See what happens if you don’t heed what the Catwoman said.”

“She is a great woman and she feels that she is the owner and the keeper of the bog – that’s her significance,” Colette says. “She would know every area of the bog, and the bog is hers.”

Brendan, meanwhile, plays the more minor role of “a mystical figure who wanders through time, collecting lost souls.”

“He opens the play, and then drifts…,” Brendan says, although “in the first three minutes that he performs, the audience pick up on who and what he is. And while he is offstage his character’s presence remains in the background overshadowing the goings-on.”

“He is there for a purpose,” Brendan says. “It’s just that he got the time wrong.”

Wild humour

What they are enjoying about the play, Colette says, is that “it has everything in it – you have comedy and you have tragedy…”

“Marina Carr has established herself as probably the best female Irish playwright for many years. … And while her works are dark to a certain extent, they are ‘shot through with wild humour’,” Brendan adds, quoting a 2004 Guardian interview with the playwright. “There is wild humour throughout the play. It’s dark and it’s humorous.”

“It’s very interesting because it’s not your average play, in that it deals with things that are out of this world, things that are not of this world,” Colette says, and Brendan feels it’s the most challenging play that Watergate Productions has staged since its start in 1993.

“You’re not in any comfort zone with this play; you’re not going down a tried and tested road,” he says. “Where most plays have a start, middle and end and you achieve it, with this play you’re working at it all the time.”

It’s also, Colette notes, a great play for women.

“The main character, Hester, is a very strong woman. You have the Catwoman, who is a very strong woman. You have Mrs Kilbride, played by Mary Cradock, and she is a very strong character, and the young girl in it, Rachel Leyden,” she says.

“The women are very strong, and they are all very different characters.”

This strength applies to the play as a whole, in fact, says Brendan.

“It is a very strong play,” he says. “I describe it as a theatrical feast.”

Watergate Productions’ ‘By the Bog of Cats’ is in the Watergate Theatre from January 31 to February 4 at 8pm. Tickets cost €15/€12 (€10 on opening night) and are available from 056 7761674 and www.watergatetheatre.com.

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Jan 27 2012
Ayrshire Post (main ed)

HI guys, hope you’re all great!

I’m coming off an amazing experience on Sunday night at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for the Gerry Rafferty Remembered Concert.

There was an all star line up including The Proclaimers, Jack Bruce, Barbara Dickson, Roddy Hart and Troon’s own Alan Frew, who paid homage to the late great Gerry Rafferty.

Let me assure you – there was not a dry eye in the house and it was a mesmerising concert.

The Scottish Alternative Music awards are to return for a third year, drawing necessary attention to the Scottish bands and artists that mainstream music tend to ignore.

Again this year will include live performances from some of the country’s hottest new acts, as well as guest appearances from leading figures in the Scottish music scene.

The event will take place on March 1st at the Garage, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.

For more information including information on nominees and ticketing please see http://OfficialSAMA.co.uk

The SAMA’s are the brainchild of Ayrshire’s Richy Muirhead, a graduate of Music: Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of the West of Scotland.

Richy was the winner of entrepreneurial award at the West FM 2011 Community Awards.

The 2012 SAMA’s look as ever to be an interesting and engaging event celebrating the best of new Scottish music talent. A cause in celebration for itself and sure to be a great night!

The ‘Dirty Edition’ will be held over three days and split across Dirty Martinis and Bakers Nite Club Kilmarnock, bringing you more than 18 great acts.

It will play host to some internationally renowned acts along with some of the brightest talent to emerge from Scotland’s diverse music scene.

Headline acts include Ocean Colour Scene and Paul Weller guitarist Steve Cradock, Orange Unsigned winner Tommy Reilly and local musical legends The Longhorns.

The bill also includes hot tips for 2012 The Imagineers, Tragic O’Hara and Jamie Keenan of The Lafontaines.

Dirty Martini’s will host the Friday and Saturday giving an up close and intimate feel to proceedings, and the Sunday is being held at Bakers Nite Club with an aftershow party featuring Northern Soul DJ’s and a set from Steve Cradock himself.

After the success of Dirty’s Acoustic Summerfest last year, My First Music were really keen to do another three day festival as it was so much fun the last time.

There is just something special about music festivals, from discovering a new favourite band to meeting like-minded people and creating a sense of community.

Friday and Saturday tickets can be bought for a combined price of £10.

Tickets for the aftershow party will be £5 or £3 (with a Dirty Edition gig ticket).

Tickets can be purchased from RGM or from bands or email myfirstmusic@live.co.uk for more details.

Venue addresses: Dirty Martini’s, 8 Langlands Street, Kilmarnock.

Bakers Nite Club, 4b John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock.

Friday 10th February –The Longhorns, Roadway, The Mighty Kung Fu

Saturday 11th February – Tommy Reilly, The Imagineers, Colin Hunter, Matt Scott, Scott Nicol, Jamie Keenan, The Holy Ghosts

Sunday 12th February – Steve Craddock, Tragic O’Hara, Dead Wolf Club, What the Hero’s Say

Competition:

To win a ticket pass for all the events:

Which Inbetweener guested on Steve Cradocks album Peace City West?

Send your answers to myfirstmusic@live.co.uk

The winner will be announced on February 3.

Chris Isaak pays tribute to the glory days of Memphis’ Sun Studio and the artists who started out there under the guidance of Sam Phillips with the release of his new album Beyond The Sun on January 23rd on Rhino.

Produced by Isaak, Beyond The Sun was recorded mostly at the historic Sun Studio with his long-term band; Rowland Salley (bass), Kenney Dale Johnson (drums), Hershel Yatovitz (guitar), Scott Plunkett (piano) and Rafael Padilla (percussion).

The project features version of tracks made famous by the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis.

CRADOCK — Rural Development and Land Reform Minister Gugile Nkwinti yesterday warned officials responsible for identifying land reform beneficiaries that the government would not tolerate nepotism and the exclusion of poor rural communities in favour of influential city dwellers.

Mr Nkwinti was responding to complaints from rural communities that smallholder farms were being distributed to people who had no farming interest but lived in the city and had political connections. “My department will fight this scourge of creating weekend farmers who only come during weekends to braai and often do little or no farming, which exacerbates the problem of agricultural land lying fallow,” he said.

Mr Nkwinti was addressing potential land reform beneficiaries and farmers at 13 farms covering about 8000ha around Cradock in the Eastern Cape’s Chris Hani district municipality. The aspiring farmers had been chosen to farm sugar beet and sorghum, which will feed a biofuel plant. Construction of the plant will start in July.

Chris Hani executive mayor Mxolisi Koyo complained of the “unfairness” of land distribution, saying locals were being sidelined and unknown individuals brought in to own farms without making a dent in unemployment.

Mr Nkwinti said the department had spent about R60m towards the acquisition of land for farming as well as for the construction of the Cradock e thanol p roject.

This would comprise the development of a commercially viable and sustainable bio-ethanol plant and related infrastructure.

The plant would produce about 90-million litres of fuel-grade ethanol in addition to co-products to be sold as high-protein components on the animal feed market.

Deputy director-general of rural development Vusi Mahlangu said that the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) had short-listed 13 companies that had tendered to build the plant. There were plans to buy about 30000ha to empower black emerging farmers who would work closely with various institutions to provide the plant with sugar beet or grain sorghum.

Following an application by Arengo 316, land had been rezoned at Cradock to develop an industrial park that would include the proposed plant.

Arengo is a joint venture between the IDC, Sugar Beet SA and the Central Energy Fund and was formed to develop and manage the ethanol plant.

Mr Nkwinti said the plant would make the Cradock region the country’s first strategic alternative fuel producer amid political instability in Iran, from where SA acquires at least 27% of its oil. The plant would have significant social and economic benefits and create jobs.

About 167 jobs would be created at the plant itself and an estimated 1500 would be generated in the agricultural sector, while a further 1 000 indirect jobs were also expected.

Last month, Arengo called on potential suppliers to submit their expressions of interest for the supply of grain sorghum feedstock — about 230000 ton s a year — for the ethanol project.

Interested parties would need to demonstrate the ability to acquire a minimum of 30% of grain sorghum volumes from local farmers or provincial black economic empowerment suppliers.

radebeh@bdfm.co.za

The clock will turn full circle for talented singer and multi-instrumentalist Steve Cradock when he performs next month at Scunthorpe’s newest rock club to be called The Habit.

In 1996 the Birmingham-born musician and his band Ocean Colour Scene headlined a sell-out concert at the town’s Baths Hall.

1. ?

   GUITARIST: Ocean Colour Scene guitarist Steve Cradock is returning to Scunthorpe for a gig at The Habit

The show had been arranged to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Scunthorpe as a borough town.

Joining OCS on stage for the £6-a-head show were the late Radio DJ John Peel, his local counterpart Steve Bird and local rockers Grill.

The year proved to be a golden year for Steve and his fellow ocean travellers with no less than four of their singles, The Riverboat Song, You’ve Got It Bad, The Day We Caught The Train and The Circle hitting the UK best-sellers.

Sixteen years later, Steve, 42, who is the second guitarist in Paul Weller’s band and has appeared on all his solo albums, makes his return on February 25 as a solo artist at The Habit at the town’s Priory Hotel.

The star who plays guitar, drums and keyboards, is widely regarded as one of Britain’s most talented guitarists which is why promoter Adrian Cromack hailed the gig as “a real stormer”.

Adrian and his partners will officially launch The Habit on January 28 when all-girl alternative rock band Gasoline Thrill will be in town to plug their new album called Burn.

The London girls, formerly known as Catfight, will be joined by local bands The Dropdeads and the Tripdown Project.

The Dropdeads will also be hoping scouts from the capital will be interested in their new recording and the Tripdowns will introduce their new bass player. There will be more star-gazing at The Habit on March 31 when Drew McConnell comes to town.

The 33-year-old Dublin-born musician is the bass guitarist and backing vocalist with Babyshambles, the band formed by Pete Doherty after he quit The Libertines.

His fellow performers in Scunthorpe have yet to be confirmed but McConnell is the leader of a musical collective called Helsinki which also include Albert Hammond Junior from The Strokes and Jamie Morrison from the Noisettes.

Meanwhile Adrian told What’s On he had still not given hope of signing Noel Gallagher and his High Flying Birds for a show at the Scunthorpe Baths later this year.

He revealed: “Noel’s got some extra dates booked in for September, so I have contacted his people again.

“You never know persistence might pay off.”

Beyond the traditional lessons on reading, writing, and math, schools across America are now teaching their students about another crucially important subject that will build the foundation for the rest of their lives: nutrition.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 17 percent of children in America are obese. These children face higher risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other diseases when they become adults.

With approximately 55 million children enrolled in the U.S., schools can play a powerful role in the efforts to combat obesity. Every day, over 31 million children receive their lunches through the National School Lunch Program. These meals are subsidized the government, and made available to low-income students for free or reduced rates. In addition, by teaching children about agriculture, cooking, and gardening, students gain a greater appreciation and understanding of where their food comes from and how it is produced. Today, Nourishing the Planet highlights five initiatives helping to teach children about nutrition across the country.

1. Louisville, Kentucky

In 2003, according to a report by the Trust for America’s Health, Kentucky had the third highest level of overweight high school students, as well as the third highest number of low-income children between two and five years old in the country. Since then, Kentucky has made significant improvements in their school lunches and nutrition programs.

One organization, The Food Literacy Project at Oxmoor Farm, runs “Experiential Educational Programs” for school and community groups that allow participants to experience farm-life first hand. Visitors may learn how to bake bread from scratch, take a tasting tour of the farm, or study how the food in their lunches is grown. The farm, based out of Louisville, Kentucky, was just awarded a mini grant from the Healthy Hometown Movement, a state government program, and will be working this year with over 200 students to teach them about vegetable farming, physical activity, and where their food comes from.

2. St. Louis, Missouri

Missouri was recently ranked as the eleventh-most obese state in the country, with 31 percent of children ages 10-17 overweight. In addition, nearly one out of every four children in the state is hungry, a figure which has been rising since 2005 and now rates fifth-worst in the country.

But in St. Louis, a number of organizations have partnered together to improve the city’s approach towards nutrition and agriculture. In one exciting example, over 60 schools have partnered with Gateway Greening to build vegetable, native, multi-sensory (which incorporate scent, touch, and sound aspects in their design), and butterfly gardens. This organization, a non-profit organization started and based out of the city, provides the resources and guidance necessary for the schools to design and run their own unique gardens for students to learn about nature, nutrition, and even sell their own produce.

3. Greeley, Colorado

Although Colorado has the lowest obesity rate in the country, two recent reports, by Health Policy Solutions and the Colorado Department of Health and Environment, warn that childhood obesity in Colorado increased by 23 percent between 2003 and 2007.

The organization Cook for America has partnered with a number of school districts across the state to redesign the operations and practices of school foodservice. The city of Greeley was recently highlighted by the New York Times for its participation in the program. Greeley’s Weld County School District 6 serves over 19,000 students, the majority of whom are low-income — 60 percent of students qualify for free or reduced meals. To feed these students, the district has implemented a School Food Renaissance, which includes school gardens and Farm to School programs, connecting local farmers and students.

Weld County School District 6 also will begin phasing out processed and precooked meals this year through the training and resources provided by Cook for America, with the goal of providing all meals from scratch by the beginning of next school year. These moves are helping to show that foodservice reform, typically seen as too expensive or difficult for struggling school districts, can be affordable, successful, and delicious.

4. Boston, Massachusetts

Sugar sweetened beverages (SSB), which include sports drinks and soda, are increasingly popular among teenagers, yet present significant risks to their health. SSBs currently account for approximately 13 percent of all calories consumed by youth, and are the largest source of added sugar in children’s diets.

Yet in Boston, consumption of these drinks has actually gone down, according to the CDC. In 2004, Boston public schools passed a policy restricting sales of SSBs in schools. In a study conducted by the CDC, researchers analyzed consumption of SSBs in Boston high schools between 2004 and 2006, and compared them to national trends. The report found that while there was no change in consumption nationally, high school students in Boston’s public schools drank significantly less soda and other sugar-sweetened drinks. Following these findings, the Massachusetts Public Health Council issued new nutrition standards to take effect in 2013 that will eliminate sodas and other foods (including those with artificial sweeteners and trans fats) off school campuses statewide . As Angie Cradock, the report’s lead author, states, “This study shows that a very simple policy change can have a big impact on student behavior.”

5. Wilmington, Delaware

Twenty-eight percent of adults in Delaware are obese, according to the CDC, and childhood obesity is 33 percent. But battling obesity in Delaware has seen some progress recently — the rate of children classifying as overweight or obese has leveled off in the past years, defying the national trend.

Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids is a small non-profit based out of northern Delaware that partners with schools in the area to build school vegetable gardens. Created in 2005, the organization now works with students in every grade level in 11 schools. Through the “Education Cultivation” program, students plant, grow, and eat the vegetables from their gardens, learning valuable lessons about nutrition and science.

According to a report co-authored by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, and the National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education, “Enjoying and learning about food in childhood promotes good nutrition habits for a lifetime.” Through the efforts of schools and programs like these, children in America are now being provided with the lessons necessary to build a healthier future.

Follow Danielle Nierenberg on Twitter:

www.twitter.com/@NourishPlanet

Jan 27 2012
Irvine Herald

HI guys, hope you’re all great!

I’m coming off an amazing experience on Sunday night at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall for the Gerry Rafferty Remembered Concert.

There was an all star line up including The Proclaimers, Jack Bruce, Barbara Dickson, Roddy Hart and Troon’s own Alan Frew, who paid homage to the late great Gerry Rafferty.

Let me assure you – there was not a dry eye in the house and it was a mesmerising concert.

The Scottish Alternative Music awards are to return for a third year, drawing necessary attention to the Scottish bands and artists that mainstream music tend to ignore.

Again this year will include live performances from some of the country’s hottest new acts, as well as guest appearances from leading figures in the Scottish music scene.

The event will take place on March 1st at the Garage, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow.

For more information including information on nominees and ticketing please see http://OfficialSAMA.co.uk

The SAMA’s are the brainchild of Ayrshire’s Richy Muirhead, a graduate of Music: Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University of the West of Scotland.

Richy was the winner of entrepreneurial award at the West FM 2011 Community Awards.

The 2012 SAMA’s look as ever to be an interesting and engaging event celebrating the best of new Scottish music talent. A cause in celebration for itself and sure to be a great night!

The ‘Dirty Edition’ will be held over three days and split across Dirty Martinis and Bakers Nite Club Kilmarnock, bringing you more than 18 great acts.

It will play host to some internationally renowned acts along with some of the brightest talent to emerge from Scotland’s diverse music scene.

Headline acts include Ocean Colour Scene and Paul Weller guitarist Steve Cradock, Orange Unsigned winner Tommy Reilly and local musical legends The Longhorns.

The bill also includes hot tips for 2012 The Imagineers, Tragic O’Hara and Jamie Keenan of The Lafontaines.

Dirty Martini’s will host the Friday and Saturday giving an up close and intimate feel to proceedings, and the Sunday is being held at Bakers Nite Club with an aftershow party featuring Northern Soul DJ’s and a set from Steve Cradock himself.

After the success of Dirty’s Acoustic Summerfest last year, My First Music were really keen to do another three day festival as it was so much fun the last time.

There is just something special about music festivals, from discovering a new favourite band to meeting like-minded people and creating a sense of community.

Friday and Saturday tickets can be bought for a combined price of £10.

Tickets for the aftershow party will be £5 or £3 (with a Dirty Edition gig ticket).

Tickets can be purchased from RGM or from bands or email myfirstmusic@live.co.uk for more details.

Venue addresses: Dirty Martini’s, 8 Langlands Street, Kilmarnock.

Bakers Nite Club, 4b John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock.

Friday 10th February –The Longhorns, Roadway, The Mighty Kung Fu

Saturday 11th February – Tommy Reilly, The Imagineers, Colin Hunter, Matt Scott, Scott Nicol, Jamie Keenan, The Holy Ghosts

Sunday 12th February – Steve Craddock, Tragic O’Hara, Dead Wolf Club, What the Hero’s Say

Competition:

To win a ticket pass for all the events:

Which Inbetweener guested on Steve Cradocks album Peace City West?

Send your answers to myfirstmusic@live.co.uk

The winner will be announced on February 3.

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Zwelakhe Shangase

Veteran South African filmmaker David Forbes went through a difficult journey, battling cancer and state authorities, to complete his award-winning feature documentary, The Cradock Four, which has been selected to compete at the Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt.

The documentary, which took Forbes seven years to make, is going to compete in the long films section from February 21 to 28.

The Cradock Four, an independent production, won Forbes Best SA Documentary at the Durban International Film Festival in 2010 and was shortlisted for the Amnesty International Human Rights award.

Last year it was also invited to the Aljazeera International Documentary Film Festival in Doha, Qatar, and to a number of other festivals.

“Learning that the doccie had been shortlisted was humbling and I am pleased that it has been selected to be viewed in an African festival,” says Forbes.

“It is also liberating to see that the greater African community will be able to view the doccie.”

Forbes says he put a lot of effort and time into the making of the documentary and was disappointed when the public broadcaster did not show any interest in the subject matter.

The movie is set in the 1980s when apartheid was at its worst and it takes an in-depth look at four men, originally from Cradock in the Eastern Cape, Mathew Goniwe, Fort Calata, Sparrow Mkonto and Sicelo Mhlauli, who were abducted by the security police and murdered in cold blood.

Their bodies were burnt and later found near the Port Elizabeth suburb of Bluewater Bay and they became known as “The Cradock Four”.

The film reveals the oppressive climate of the racist regime in the seventies and up to the mid-eighties.

Forbes says it shows how the system broke the freedom, and the lives, of four young men.

Using compelling archive material, incisive interviews and dramatic recreations, the film reveals the ideals which led Goniwe and his friends to support the liberation struggle.

Forbes says: “The assassinations signalled the beginning of the end of the apartheid regime. Within five years Nelson Mandela would walk free, and later lead the country to liberation in 1994.”

He said getting funding for his project and also up-to-date information was a challenge as the department of justice intervened and didn’t grant him access to information. “It had to take a two-year long court battle for them to release the information.”

The Cradock Four is a powerful film that deserves its acclaim.

zwelakhes@thenewage.co.za

Mawande Jack

Struggle heroes like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Fort Calata and Ellen Khuzwayo are to be honoured by having Rhodes University buildings named after them.

The liberation heroes renaming event of the new hall and four students residences, is to be held in March.

University vice-chancellor Dr Saleem Badat said the move was to “acknowledge the contribution of these extraordinary lives”.

“Naming a residence is more than simply attaching a name to a building. It is also a reflection of ethical commitments and a key component of institutional culture,” he said.

The new hall would be named Desmond Tutu Hall while four student residences would be known as Ellen Khuzwayo House, Calata House,after Cradock UDF leader Fort Calata who was murdered by apartheid security police and Mathew Goniwe House, Amina Cachalia House and Rosa Parks House. Sadat said each house would have its own ethos, values and coat of arms.

The names selected served to emphasise the university’s African identity and as a reflection to its Eastern Cape location.

He said the institution also sought to make use of names from local African languages.

Similar ceremonies have been held in the past where some Rhodes University halls and buildings were named after Nelson Mandela, Chris Hani, Adelaide Tambo, Joe Slovo and Victoria Mxenge.

mawandej@thenewage.co.za

PORTSMOUTH

A Cradock man was shot and killed in a robbery attempt Tuesday night as he walked home.

Detwan Sims, 25, of Harris Road was shot about 11:37 p.m. Police said he was walking to his house when two men tried to rob him, and he was shot.

Sims then crawled to the rear door to alert his family, who called 911. He died about 4:10 a.m. Wednesday at a hospital.

Anyone with information should call Crime Line at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP or text the word “Portsmouth” plus a tip to 274637 (CRIMES).

Patrick Wilson, (757) 222-3893, patrick.wilson@pilotonline.com

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By
Richard Barber

Last updated at 8:34 AM on 20th January 2012

The first Desert Island Discs was broadcast on January 29, 1942, with comedian Vic Oliver as the castaway. Britain’s longest-running radio series — 70 years old this month, with an audience of three million — was born. So, asks Richard Barber, as the series approaches its 2,800th episode, just what makes it so special?

THE PRESENTERS

There have been only four main presenters of Desert Island Discs. Its creator Roy Plomley was first and reigned supreme for 43 years, hosting 1,791 shows.

When Princess Margaret appeared with him, she said she liked Herman’s Hermits’s I’m Into Something Good, which she’d heard on the car radio while being chauffeured back to Kensington Palace. ‘Fascinating,’ intoned Plomley, ‘absolutely fascinating.’

Serial guest: Sir David Attenborough returns for a fourth time, with presenter Kirsty Young

Michael Parkinson, a castaway in February 1972, took over as presenter in January 1986. Plomley’s widow is said to have found his  style too slick.

HEADER HERE

Sir David Attenborough will be DID’s 70th anniversary guest — the fourth time he has been a castaway, equalling the record held by comedian Arthur Askey. 

When Attenborough was first on in 1957, his discs included a track by Chris Barber’s Jazz Band and Ralph Vaughan Williams’s All People That On Earth Do Dwell. His luxury was a piano.

In 1979, the disc from which he couldn’t bear to be parted was Mozart, to which he would listen to while using his luxury: a pair of binoculars. In 1998, he chose a guitar.

And this time? ‘I’m not telling you,’ says Sir David.

‘But no, I didn’t try and avoid repeating choices I’d made before because, to be honest, I couldn’t remember my previous selections. I just picked eight discs that I thought I’d enjoy listening to.’

Parky has his own explanation for why the programme has endured. ‘The show has lasted because we all have music in our souls and in our minds,’ he said. He stepped down in March 1988 to be replaced by Sue Lawley.

On taking over, she said: ‘It’s a fantastic format! The minute you ask people about their music, they start remembering things and go back into their past.’

In 1996, Lawley’s was accused of having an ‘obsession with other people’s sex lives’ after she asked the then unmarried Gordon Brown ‘whether you’re gay or whether there’s some flaw in your personality that you haven’t made a relationship’.

To his credit, the then Chancellor maintained his sangfroid. ‘It just hasn’t happened,’ he replied.

Kirsty Young was appointed in October 2006, and her first castaway was the illustrator Quentin Blake.

‘For me, the programme’s strength lies where it always has: in the unique blend of a castaway’s life and their music,’ she said.

TEAM PLAYERS

Occasionally, the programme has played host to more than one castaway. Fanny and Johnnie Cradock appeared together in 1962 and a special edition was recorded with the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire at Chatsworth House in 1982. He chose aftershave as his luxury; she chose new potatoes.

All three Beverley Sisters were cast away together in 1961, while the Amadeus String Quartet were guests in 1978.

The top tune choices.jpg

THE REFUSENIKS

Prince Charles said no, as did Laurence Olivier, John Prescott and Mick Jagger. Ted Hughes also declined, along with actor Albert Finney; and George Bernard Shaw was, he said, ‘far too busy with more important things’.

THAT THEME TUNE

With the possible exception of the music that introduces each edition of The Archers, there is no more iconic theme tune on radio than DID’s By The Sleepy Lagoon, composed by Eric Coates in 1930, inspired by a view of Bognor Regis.

Above the sweeping strings and sounds of a lapping tide, the cries of herring gulls can be distinctly heard. After complaints from ornithologists, the theme tune was re-recorded using the calls of tropical birds — more appropriate for what is assumed to be a sun-drenched Pacific island. But after squawks of protest from listeners, the gulls were reinstated.

AND YOUR LUXURY?

The luxuries chosen by castaways have been as diverse as they have been bizarre — from curling tongs (Dame Vera Lynn) to a pot of stew and  two dumplings (Norman Wisdom), a lifetime’s supply of Frosties (Ian Hislop) and sunblock (Nicole Kidman, Annie Lennox, Joan Collins and Sue MacGregor).

John Peel wanted a football and a wall to kick it against;  Kristin Scott Thomas, a pair of Christian Louboutin mules; and Cilla Black, a manicure set.

Simon Cowell and Graham Norton each requested a mirror. John Cleese asked for Michael Palin, stuffed.

Dame Edna Everage opted for her sidekick, Madge Allsop. When Roy Plomley protested that the luxury had to be inanimate, she said this wasn’t a problem.  

CASTAWAY: 70 Years Of Desert Island Discs, Radio 4, January 28, 8pm. The 70th anniversary edition is on Radio 4, January 29, 11.15am.

 

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This Sundays show will be edition 2881

– DBD, London, England, 20/1/2012 21:54

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My choice if I was on the island a LARGE bar of Cadburys fruit and nut.

– trevor, norwich., 20/1/2012 13:05

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Quite right. This wonderful programme should be forever. Just, those responsable for choosing the guests, should put a little more imagination into it. More ordinary people, who have done extraordinary things.

– Omar Khayyam, Wallasey/uk, 20/1/2012 13:00

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This programme has had its day. The presenter Kirsty Young is a sycophant and is boring. All the guests are typical privileged ‘safe’ middle class bores. If the programme is to continue then it needs a radical shake up.

– Simon, Somerset, 20/1/2012 11:25

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My mother has been listening to this since I was very young now I’ve started too as well, it’s a wonderful programme!! As for David Attenborough being on 4 times….I could happily listen to that fascinating and lovely man all day long so that’s fine by me!!

– slinky, London, England, 20/1/2012 11:11

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Have recently rediscovered the joys of listening to this lovely gentle programme at Sundy lunchtime. It’s a wonderful British institution and long may it continue.

– Lady Bonkers, Outerbogfordshire, 20/1/2012 08:42

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Fab show, but sad to learn that Attenborough has been on 4 times. There are loads of interesting people out there, we don’t need repeats!

– Lulu, Herts, 20/1/2012 07:17

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I love this programme, and even though it’s so difficult to hone down all the music I love into just eight choices, I think the best way to do that, is to be absolutely honest about how certain pieces of music or songs had an effect upon certain times of ones life. I love classical music and Opera; but if I were on a ‘Desert Island’ and wanted to remember poignant times of my life, there is so much diversity in the music that makes me smile……Including Frank Ifield’s ,’I Remember You’, and Bob Dylan’s ‘Girl From the North Country’…..and loads more from Gershwin to the Beachboys ; Butterworth’s ‘Banks of Green Willow’ to almost anything by Puccini. So difficult, but I think the best ‘Desert Island’ shows are those wherein the guests choose music that really ‘means’ something to them, as opposed to music they assume might reflect their image. etc,.

– Kate, Manchester, 20/1/2012 04:17

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Were I given the opportunity to appear on this most wonderful of radio programmes,my record choices would need some considerable time to mull over.
My luxury item,however,is a no brainer — the company of the very lovely Ms. Young.

– Morgan, Swansea,WALES., 20/1/2012 03:53

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