To Burwell, Soham, Stuntney, Ely and Haddenham

The campaign took us first to Burwell today. We collected there some last-minute applications for postal votes. One was from my old family history friend, Mr Robert (Bob) Rodrigo, who has also been a nationally-known racing journalist and author, writing often with the pen-name of 'Bob Rodney.' Bob also 'wrote' the autobiography of the late Mrs Bessie Braddock, M.P. He and I share many interests, not least the welfare of Burwell, where we both write for The Burwell Bulletin, our marvellous local newspaper.

Here is today's picture of Bob handing me the packet of applications for their onward delivery to the East Cambridgeshire District Council offices.

And, yes, I must clean that car again.

Our next stop, via Soham and Stuntney, was at Ely, and we then went on to Haddenham, where we delivered hundreds of leaflets and did lots of very useful canvassing, especially whilst seeing many mums and quite a few dads outside the Robert Arkenstall Primary School that, I am advised, has an excellent reputation.

I had the honour and pleasure of meeting a lady who told me that she had once been jailed for being anti-foxhunting. Apparently, she had been protesting against a hunt in Essex and the Master, Lord *********, had hit her with his hunting crop. Not to be outdone, she pulled his Lordship orf his horse. The upshot was that she had to 'do time' and Lord ********* got orf Scot-free. Such is life. I shook her hand.

Finally, though I say it myself, here is a marvellous view of Ely Cathedral from near Stuntney, with some of our black and fertile Fen land in the foreground. It's a view that can never be bettered. It has to be captured when one can and when the clouds are 'right.' They were and I could today. I was lucky.

This picture had to be reduced for this blog. If anyone would like the original large version, just E-mail me on GW5438@aol.com