Saturday 26th April 2008
I write after attending the ‘England my England’ fund raiser in the hut last night, which was very interesting and reminded me how lucky we are to live in such a green and pleasant land (unless you don’t recycle properly of course).
It was nice to see a mix of the community’s younger members and older members together. They got me up to, to talk about my experiences of being a Police Dog handler, which seems like yesterday in some ways but in others a whole lifetime ago. I dedicate the talk to Keran of course but to all the troops who aren’t with their families and are serving their country.
Hopefully Gerry Hanson (England My England) and myself will go on a tour of UK dates shortly and I can pay the mortgage off! Or even just pay for the next Petrol bill!
Thanks to DJ James for my sound effects and music, Jamie for the power point pictures, the ladies in the kitchen, the booksellers, and of course the audience, for turning up and donating. I hope you enjoyed it, I could have gone on and it was lucky the fire alarm went off when it did….we never did seem to have a fire though! Surely it wasn’t a ploy to make sure I got off…….nawh……….
The fact England is actually a Green and pleasant land, was reinforced today as I travelled up to Birmingham to speak at the Spring conference of FACT (Falsely Accused Carers & Teachers) association. The view from the train window was beautiful, sat onboard the rather sleek Virgin Pendolino train the world whizzed by, the view ever changing.
As the train tilted through the bends though (don’t worry its meant to), I kept thinking you should stick your hands in the air a’la ‘Rollercoaster’ rides and let out a whoop and a holler! But then it was too smooth to be a rollercoaster and there’s a good chance I would have been sectioned under the Mental Health Act on getting off the train…I know …. I know….I need more excitement in my life…maybe when we get a retrial…..
But back to gazing out the window, I had to envy those on board the narrow boats slowly plodding along the Grand Union canal. What a great way to travel, as long as you don’t have to be anywhere quickly of course!
But Birmingham and the FACT conference beckoned, so I sadly couldn’t take the slow boat route. It was very nice to meet the FACT team there after so long of just phone calls and e-mails. They allowed me plenty of time to go through the nightmare and at the end there was chance for questions from the floor (to be fair I think we should take more from the ceilings they have rights too). We then broke for lunch, so many of the delegates found time came over to chat (thanks to Gail for making sure I got fed).
It is heart-warming to meet others who have suffered False Accusations (as bizarre as that sounds), as you can feel very alone at times as I have mentioned before. But we are not alone there are many people out there, you are never alone, you may just feel that way. The more work done by groups to raise the issue the better, get along to them if you can and talk or write things down, get it off your chest.
No one there condones abuse of course, but no one should condone false accusations either. Maybe we need to look at charging people with an offence, with the 3000 new laws brought in one of them must cover it?!
Other areas came out that sounded all too familiar to, one delegate spoke of how many ex pupils had offered to speak up for them, including many who were now Police Officers. Those from the force area (involved in the case) weren’t allowed to speak out, another who had spread their wings further a field (in a different Police Force) did.
We could have asked more Police Colleagues, friends and associates to vouch for Keran. but I knew there wouldn’t be much point as they would either not be able to, or if they did their force, or supervisors or those in the case would always have them marked down and their careers would go nowhere, they would have to measure recycling bins or something….
It’s odd too that in Sue Holdsworth’s case, the officer spoke out but was ‘offered’ medical retirement and she was no friend or associate of Sue Holdsworth’s, just someone who thought something was wrong. I see no reason why Police Officers shouldn’t be allowed to stand up and be counted in the name of justice it should be mandatory!
There were many other areas the delegates had gone through the sort of things we had gone through and still are. When you don’t think you can be more humbled, someone comes along and thanks you for being an inspiration to keep fighting.
That is something I have to say I cannot claim credit for, as its not down to me, but to all our family, friends, the Carers team and those of you that attend the events and send things through and call, e-mail, write, carry out research, look after the kids for me (including meals), offer to help shop, clean, cut hair, make up curtains, repair things! Whatever!! To all of you, thank you again it is you that are the inspiration to these people, it’s not me, its all of you.
You are the inspirations, hats off to you and God bless.
Had a bit of a twist to the tale when speaking to the insurance company the other day, they asked if anyone in the house had been arrested and charged in the last 5 years. So I had to tell them about Keran, it caught me off guard and I felt really sorry for the lady on the other end, she may have got the odd ‘Yeah I have actually.’ But not many hopefully were I felt I had to explain your wife was wrongly arrested, charged and convicted’ all on the say so of medical mercenaries! Resulting in her name being tarred as someone capable of manslaughter of a little child.
Its surprising when all this pops up and I am sure Ruth & Mark must also suffer from the loss of Maeve at times when they least expect it. I know speaking to someone recently they often say there’s ‘x’ amount of them in their family, when sadly there isn’t as they are short of their father/grandfather, who sadly passed away. But still they count their father only to have to stop themselves, moments later, when they remember he is no longer there.
Count your blessings and not your misfortunes, you may be surprised at what you have.
Iain
Stay safe &
Fiat Justicia
P.S.
If anyone would like a talk on Police Dog handling, or me getting an Oscar, or my part in the Iranian Embassy Siege (only kidding - just making sure your still reading). Let my agent know, Max Clifford, sorry, no, Jamie wants to do it…he’s only 9 but a hard task master! He’s splitting the profits between him and Cameron….hang on what do i get out of this?
Pesky kids…..I’d have gotten away with it…….