Help For Heroes walk

This story appeared in the Dispatch and the Post but sadly the Dispatch link has gone tits up: http://www.hucknalldispatch.co.uk/hucknall/Charity-walk-to-help-armed.4066094.jp

Post link is here:http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133965&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133948&contentPK=20629691&moduleName=InternalSearch&formname=sidebarsearch


A FORMER Royal Air Force serviceman is undertaking a gruelling twelve hour walk in aid of the armed forces.

Rob Bramley (42), from Bulwell, is tackling the walk with three friends in aid of Help for Heroes, an organisation dedicated to helping those who return from conflicts wounded or injured.

The charity is trying to raise £6 million to fund a much needed swimming pool and gym complex at RAF Headley Court, near Epson, Surrey.

Patients currently have to share facilities with the public in nearby Leatherhead.

Mike served for ten years as a storeman at RAF Honington, RAF Whittering and RAF Newton, as well as spending four months in the Falklands during peacetime.

He said: “As I am ex-forces I believe that this is a really worthwhile cause and it is something that is really close to my heart.

“Thankfully I do not know anyone affected but when anyone in the armed forces dies it is particularly upsetting, especially for those they leave behind.”

“I am really looking forward to doing the walk and we hope to raise around £500.”

The event is taking place on Saturday 17th May on the running track of the Harvey Hadden Sports Complex, in Bilborough, Nottingham.

It kicks off at 8am in the morning and finishes at 8pm.

Members of HMS Sherwood will be in attendance and an information display will also be set up.

Rob is also hoping for voluntary help from a local cadet force and scouts.

Help for Heroes Appeal Chairman Bryn Parry said: “Our appeal is about the blokes, our men and women. They are just blokes but they are our blokes, they are our heroes. We want to help our heroes.”

Anyone wanting to sponsor Rob can do so by visiting: http://www.justgiving.com/robertbramley1

Tim and his marathons

The following story about my mate Tim has been used on the Birmingham Mail website:

FOR most people running one marathon would be a challenge, but ambitious Tim Carter is attempting to run three within a month.

The 23-year-old, from Edgbaston, will be attempting the Prague marathon on the 11th May and then the Edinburgh Marathon on the 25th May, in addition to the Sheffield Half Marathon which he completed in April.

"I always planned on doing a marathon this year, and I had my hopes set on London with a
contingency plan of Paris," he said.

"Unfortunately I got into neither and I was quite disheartened until a friend pointed out that there were other marathons in the world.

"I found out about Prague and Edinburgh and for reasons which in recent days I have been questioning, I decided to go for both!

"I'm a little nervous, because with distance running you need constant reassurances that you are still in shape.

"I hope that once I get going, things will be alright!"

The architect is attempting the feat of endurance in an attempt to raise £1,000 for Cancer Research.

He said: "It's something I feel quite strongly about - it has affected a couple of people who I know in my lifetime, one of whom I was quite close to.

"I have set myself a target of raising £1000, but in truth, anything I can raise I will be pleased with.

"I have been overwhelmed thus far with the generosity of those who have contributeed."

Tim has been training five or six days a week for the last three months in preparation for the challenge, covering an average of fifty miles a week.

He is aiming to break the mythical three hour mark in at least one race, which only 1.8% of marathon runners achieve.

Anyone wishing to sponsor Tim can do so by visiting http://www.justgiving.com/2andahalfmarathons

http://www.birminghammail.net/news/2008/05/27/marathon-man-tim-carter-limber-up-for-charity-challenge-97319-20980626/

Pick Up Newspapers

I have started writing a column which covers the latest football news for something called Pick Up Newspapers Nottinghamshire which comes out every Friday. There is already a Yorkshire version of this free paper which is mainly full of ads. I get my name in it though and hey, it's my own column.....(kinda). The Pick Up website is here http://www.pickupnewspapers.co.uk/ Hopefully they will start uploading the Nottinghamshire issues soon.

The Metros @ Social for NG

Hotel staff across the country should have their fingers crossed that The Metros don’t stroll into their lobby, as this London based five-piece are doing their best to live out a stereotypical rock and roll lifestyle littered with equipment smashing, booze and reckless rebellion.

Last October, these teenage upstarts were kicked off The Coral’s tour for increasingly raucous behaviour which apparently didn’t go down that well with the Liverpudlians, and they have also received a nationwide ban from Holiday Inns. Oh dear.

This sort of behaviour is slightly more tolerable when the band in question are fairly big news, but there are sod all people at the Bodgea Social when I arrive shortly before the beginning of the set. If the numbers were any less then I dare say it would have been one of those Social gigs where you can get in by heading through the bar and going up the stairs at the back.

However this doesn’t deter the lads who swagger around the stage with cocky confidence, safe in the knowledge that other people their age are probably stacking shelves in Tesco. They don’t look the sort of kids who would smash up a hotel room – two members are wearing Hawaiian shirts and the drummer sports a vest – but they still convey a blasé ‘we don’t give a s**t’ attitude.

Lead singer Sauly Adamczewski in particular enjoys the occasion, getting progressively drunk on bottles of Becks and pints which are handed to him mid-set, and repeatedly scratching his head as if he can’t believe his luck. Their arrogance means they are the sort of band who many people would like to see fail, simply to wipe the smug looks of their faces, but tonight fans of schadenfreude would have been left disappointed as the Metros’ performance was astonishingly good.

They are an exceptionally tight knit unit, and the guitars are particularly good, catchy and delightfully infectious. People start dancing at the front and suddenly the place isn’t empty but full of happy gig goers – just where did all this lot come from?

In many ways the band are a southern equivalent of the Arctic Monkeys, with Adamczewski proudly showcasing his cockney vocals in the same way Alex Turner does with his Yorkshire twang. The songs too are of similar themes and full of wry observations on growing up and the world we live in. Where the Arctics had their taxis to Hillsborough, the Metros have their train from Victoria; effectively doing for London what Turner & co did for Sheffield.

So come out the cupboard you boys and girls because the The Metros have well and truly arrived. They are cocky yes, but there is more than enough evidence in their music to back this up. Loud, brash and in your face – the Metros coming at you faster than an underground train.

Review: Dan Palmer

Images: Adrian Pancucci

http://www.ng-magazine.com/Diary/Music/The_Metros:_Live_Review/

Hat-trick!

Been meaning to mention Hat-trick! for a while now, as it came to an end the other day with a couple more shows. By the end I think we produced a pretty good show, everything seemed to work well and I'm fairly proud of it.

To listen, head over to www.normanradio.co.uk and click archives. One of our shows is on the 21st April, 2008 at around 4.30, and the other is the final two hours of the 24th April.

NME New Noise Tour @ Rescue Rooms for NG

One place I wouldn't want to be after the hottest day in ages is a small, dark room which is fit to bursting with other sweaty people. It was therefore unfortunate that tonight's NME New Noise Tour took place at the Rescue Rooms, which again was far too small for the job it had been asked to do.

The place resembled a sauna and with towels not provided I got the impression that I was in for a long, hot night of general discomfort. It's a relief to report then that some top class music from four up and coming acts made the night fly by and the inferno-like conditions were made far more bearable.

First up were White Lies who strolled onto the stage at the ridiculously early hour of 7pm. With a lead singer that sounded like Brandon Flowers from The Killers, this foursome produced a decent enough set which included some powerful, anthemic music as well as some satisfying guitar riffs. Their set was short however, and they didn’t address the crowd or move about at all. It almost seemed as if they couldn’t be arsed, which can't be said about Team Waterpolo who followed them onto the stage.

"Alright! Hello! We're Team Waterpolo, how is everybody doing?" yells their lead singer as if he’s warming up a crowd at Butlins. Their opening number, which includes the lyrics: "Welcome to the Team Waterpolo show" does little to dispel the feeling that we are stuck in a kids TV programme but the lads are able to recover with a feel-good set which fitted in with the recent summer weather brilliantly.

There is dancing and headbanging galore and loads of 'yeahs!' and 'wooos!' to let us know that Team Waterpolo are just that little bit mental. They look absolutely knackered at the end and you'd be hard-pushed to find a more enthusiastic band; this pop punk outfit are definitely a band to look out for.

Next up are Friendly Fires who a fair number of the crowd seem to have come to see. Their music is a delightful mixture of pop, indie, funk and dance and they get the crowd moving for the first time all night.

Pleasing electronic noises mingle with guitars and these guys have a real presence on stage; energetically leaping about the place and generally running themselves into the ground. All of the songs are well structured and the band display a talent for music which is impressive for their young years. Run of the mill they are certainly not, so expect to see more of this St Albans-based three-piece in the near future.

Things then go a little insane as the night finishes off with Canadian electro group Crystal Castles. Flashing strobe lights and smoke build the crowd up into a frenzy and at times it feels like we are at an underground rave. They create a unique, futuristic, alien sound using all sorts of different gadgets and it’s very entertaining indeed.

A manic mosh pit developed up the front which at times devoured lead singer Alice Glass like quicksand, and security have to step in on a couple of occasions to keep things under control. It's a hectic and fitting way to end a thoroughly good night, which showcased some of the names we could be hearing about in the not too distant future. Watch this space.

Review: Dan Palmer