THE FAMILY

We'll start with the youngest ....

Chris

Chris is 23, a quiet shy unassuming young man - we think!  He read philosophy at university but, as reported last year, on graduation he decided to set himself up in film production with two of his chums from Bristol university.  They set up "Rubberductions Ltd" in September 2000,  (See www.rubberductions.com ).  Well since then he's "moved on", or should I say expanded - Rubberductions is now a "multi media production company".  They now have "Rubbershorts" and "Spinon".
Spinon was designed to get Rubberductions publicity, and boy did it work!  www.spinon.co.uk  was a young persons satirical website ostensibly just for the General Election.  However it has taken on a life of its own.  It certainly got him the publicity he needed "Spinon" and he appeared in every daily newspaper and on all TV & radio stations. He even managed an interview for the BBC One's prime time news. Publicity he could never have bought.

It led Chris into serious politics.  For example he was invited to parliment, along with Polly Toynbee and Billy Bragg, to give a presentation to the Hansard Society (See the attached press cutting).  From this, his first ever presentation, he has been invited to several other important political conferences and presentations including a meeting with Greg Dyke and the heads of BBC TV & Radio.

Rubberductions has already done work for BBC and Channel 4 and is now looking at producing their own political multimedia show. (See www.spinon.net )

That quiet shy unassuming young man is the front man in the "Rubberductions Multimedia Group" - maybe he is not what we think he is?

 The following is an extract from just one of the many article's that appeared in the Press ....

"......Singer Billy Bragg claimed that the internet allowed 'the individual outside politics', who feels disengaged from the political process, to effect change. Chris Quigley, from the political humour website spinon (4), said that the internet allowed you to 'use humour to engage people in politics'. For Guardian writer Polly Toynbee, the internet means that 'you feel you can own a little piece of the election'.

In the 2001 UK general election, anything vaguely 'political' online assumed disproportionate importance in the eyes of politicians and the media. This trend was also evident at the launch of 2001: Cyber Space Odyssey, where even Chris Quigley's tasteless election computer games, like 'MP in a blender' (8), were discussed with reverence by the panel. I had assumed that Quigley was nothing more than a mischievous prankster who loved a good laugh. He transpired to be a far more worthy character, claiming that his humour was 'a format that would make politics accessible to young people'.

If this humour hadn't been on the internet, at a time when politicians lacking ideas were in thrall to the medium, Quigley's (admittedly funny) games wouldn't have merited any serious attention. But in 2001: Cyber Space Odyssey, Coleman talks deferentially about 'a bush network of populist scoffs and sniggers, unprecedented since the yellow press of the eighteenth century' (9).

The many MPs present at the launch of the report guffawed, as Quigley's games were projected on to a giant screen and a cartoon John Prescott was blended into a bloody pulp. It seems that politicians today are so desperate to connect with the public that they can live with any degree of irreverence, as long as it appears to do something to interest people in politics. By the next general election, expect Quigley to be on New Labour's payroll."

 

Danielle

Below - "Negative g" Dani likes aerobatics so I arranged a trip with Britains No.2 - she loved it!

Dani is now 26 and is living with Pascal in Luxembourg where she has been since she graduated in '98.  She is still working for Nomura where she is now a Senior Projects Officer.  She reports that she really enjoys her job and Luxembourg, and certainly from what we have seen, we can't blame her.

 

For the last few years her and Pascal have been saving to build a house on a piece of land they bought (about 1/3 acre in a charming village between Luxembourg city and the German border).  They had a few problems with local planners and the previous land owner (don't we all!), but appear to sorted them all.  They have now decided on the house design and are negotiating with a builder to commence next year.

In between work and planning houses, Danielle managed 3 trips to Thailand  (8 weeks in total) and 2 trips to visit us in the UK.  

She is coming home again for Christmas, our first family Christmas for 4 years so we are looking forward to it.

Danielle, Chris (working as usual) & Pascal in the conservatory when they all came home

 

Jill

Jill continues to control the business finances working 3 to 4 days a week.  She also continues to play tennis every Sunday morning, Thursday afternoons, some Friday mornings and in the evenings during the summer - that's when she's in the UK - otherwise she's playing in Spain!  For the rest of the time she manages the house and does the gardening.

The biggest problem this year has been her deteriorating back.  She gets accute  back pain when she is standing cooking, but not when she's playing tennis curiously!  She has seen one specialist, who was useless, and is seeing another in the new year.
During the year we had few parties - the first was an impromtu one for Jill's 55th birthday on 7th January - we decided on the Friday night and had the party on Sunday lunch - no one had time to buy presents so everyone brought flowers - Jill is shown in the hall with just a few - my study looked as though someone had died in there!!

Another super party was Mary's 50th. This necessitated spending a very pleasant weekend in Wiltshire visiting some of our old haunts. For details of the party click here

A few of the guests in the conservatory - Bruce, Ross, Jan & Helen - note Shuster in the middle trying to get in the picture

Les

I continue to work (incognito) on all my little projects as well as running the main business.  I'm also now involved with the North Yorkshire Business Club and the Royal Air Forces Association in York. (Dick Shuster persuaded me to join - he is the Yorkshire area RAFALO and said they needed some young blood!).  More recently I was so impressed with the ATC in York, and through RAFA, I noticed their Officers struggling to cope, so I volunteered to help!  I'm now a civilian instructor teaching navigation (well map reading actually!) and generally helping out as an "MT driver". For info on York RAFA go to www.rafayork.co.uk .   For info on North Yorkshire Business Club go to www.nybc.co.uk .
In August, despite my back injury I decided to see if  I could pass the medical to renew my PPL. (I thought if Shuster can be passed A1,G1,Z1 and can fly fast jets [if he fits in them], then surely I could fly Cessna's?)  I was passed fit to fly (providing I carry two pairs of specs - one pair to read instruments and one to read maps - I can see out all right if I don't wear specs!) 

Right - No it's not me it's a young ATC Cadet I chauffeured - I took the pic
Anyway I'm back flying, and have completed all the flying training (and more besides) except for my FHT.   I can't take this because I haven't done all the ground school examinations - let alone passed them!  I don't recall having to know this much last time I got my PPL in 1962, nor do I remember learning this much during three years at Cranwell!   Snag is I can find the odd hour or two to fly (that's fun) but finding a day or two to study is something different?  Never mind there's always 2002!

Left - I haven't got a pic of me in an aircraft - except for this..... my first ever flight in a jet - aged 19 - in a French Air Force "Fouga Magister" - THOSE WERE THE DAYS!

Whilst looking for a flying pic I found the one below - it takes me back a week or two........

L'ecole de l'air 1965

Left to right - Randy Stubbington (sadly killed back in the late '60s),  (Sir) Pete Squire (Current CAS),

"Snotty" Synott (still flying), "Quiggers" (still learning to fly), Pete Glover (where are you?)