BA Flight BA198 Mumbai to London

BA Flight BA198 Mumbai to London

What has happened to customer service? I am fiercely patriotic and expect the best from our national airline. 

Having checked in and booked my seat for my flight today, late yesterday evening. To be informed later that the flight was cancelled. OK, so stuff happens, and apparently I am booked on the same flight tomorrow. However, at no point was I informed that my flight category had been downgraded, and did not discover this until I tried to book myself a seat. 

I have called BA on many occasions in the last 8 hours, including a 40 minute call to a UK number, failing all other options, which has cost me £60, only to find that I was speaking to someone in Delhi anyway, who put me on hold for most of the time and then could not take a decision!  

I have not been able to find even one person who will either call me back, or at the very least explain why I was not transferred to the later flight at the same category, or who will tell me what the situation is re: hotel bill, other expenses or any compensation. 

This is quite unacceptable by any standards. Apart from anything else I find it impossible to travel on long flights in economy, which is why I have not been on any long haul flights for sometime. This particular trip was really important as I was visiting a number of centres where I had helped to raise funds to see that underprivileged women could finish their education - I am not a wealthy person, and in order to take the trip I cashed in a pension to pay for the upgraded flight. 

As things stand I shall never be able to say a good word about BA again, and will ensure that everyone knows just how I feel. It is truly shameful. 

Peaceful Silent Protest

‘Thank you for participating’. I must have had dozens of people come up to me expressing this sentiment.

Little had I realised that on my first visit to Pune, India, for six years since having had breast cancer surgery here in 2005 I would be actively participating in my first ever demonstration.

I had arrived the night before and had planned to have lunch with Rotarian colleagues who had called to postpone our meeting until the evening on account of the demonstration (a Morcha) that was to take place in the city that day. There was widespread news of the chaos that would ensue with 18 roads closed and 7,000 police deployed to set up road blocks. ‘This is something I just have to see.’ I told my hosts who thought I was quite mad. I am not one given to demonstrating and had fully planned to pop along to have a quick look and make my exit.

When I discovered the reasons for the demonstration I decided that I would join them to show my support and four hours later found myself caught up in one of the most profound experiences of my life.

Around 1.2 million people of the Maratha caste were expected to gather and march in silent protest against the ‘reservation’ system imposed by the government 60 years ago. Intended to rectify the imbalance in social mobility it has meant that those of the Maratha caste feel that they are at an unfair disadvantage when pitching for jobs or educational placements where others of a lower caste are given preference regardless of experience or achievement. There was also concern about the recent rape and murder of a young girl in Kopardi that had received international publicity. The crowd, made up of all age groups and all professions, were intending to present a list of their demands to the government.

I usually stay well clear of crowded places so this was a big decision for me, to be surrounded by such a throng of people. I found it really emotional, and may well have been the only westerner there. The whole thing was incredibly well organised by team leaders who directed everybody by blowing whistles, obtaining immediate and total obedience, and with loud speakers reminding everyone that this was a peaceful process. Free water and snacks were provided and I did not see one piece of litter anywhere, which in itself is nothing short of amazing.

To be there to witness the solidarity and discipline of the crowds, was truly awesome. Almost complete silence amongst more than 1 million people was unbelievable.

The police, although much in evidence, had no helmets, no guns and no riot shields. News reports have stated that there was not one arrest or untoward incident. I think we have a lot to learn from the peaceful way in which this demonstration took place. This event is something that will stay in my memory forever.

Giving women a second chance

With students at the Navi Diva Centre; celebrating success at Sarangpur Centre; guests of honour at Ankleshwar Rotary Club; trying out the local mode of transport .....

Ilminster Rotarians John Wood and Linda Piggott-Vijeh were joined by John's wife Beverley to meet first hand the 116 women who have benefited from a jointly funded literacy project in rural areas of Gujarat.

Initiated by Manish Shah of the Rotary Club of Ankleshwar, the project has provided an inspirational lifeline for these women, aged from 17 to 35, many of whom are mothers, to complete their education. This will give them better opportunities to be able to obtain good employment and to improve the lives of their families.

The women study for 5 hours a day at one of six centres across the area and all will be taking their grade 10 examinations next month.

Said Linda 'This has been a truly humbling experience, which has brought me to tears. To hear of the individual stories of hardship and in some cases, violence, that these women have had to overcome is heart rending; all just because they want to be educated. This is something that we take for granted at home, whereas here their equipment consists of an empty room, and few few worn text books. Nothing else, no desks, no air conditioning, no computers, just a desire to better their lives and those of their families. This is what Rotary is really all about'.

For more information contact - manish@shroffit.com or

Linda Piggott-Vijeh - Shalimar Hotel, Ankleshwar (until Tues.20th) +91 2646220803

Basking in the success of others

As much as it generates the ‘feel good’ factor to be successful in one’s own endeavours, I find that I get nearly as much pleasure in being invited to share in the success of others.

In that respect this past month has certainly been one of achievement. One of my many godchildren has at last graduated from university, which was not something easily achieved due to her dyslexia, and has also landed a great job with a great company. In addition to this a young lad I supported through college, on the verge of expulsion on more than one occasion, has also been successful in getting into paid employment. Not to be outdone, my niece, who had a difficult upbringing, got head-hunted for her dream job. Cheers all round.

I confess to feeling inordinately proud of them all. It is the younger generation after all, that whilst gainfully employed, will shore up our country’s coffers to see me into old age.

At the time of writing I am biding my time at Heathrow, waiting for a flight to India, on my way to witness first-hand the results of a jointly funded project in Gujarat to provide educational opportunities for women. Initiated by my Ilminster Rotary colleague, John Wood and his wife Beverley, I basked in the reflected glory of the achievement, which took place during my tenure as President. I have long been a champion of education in all of its forms
And will be thrilled to meet all 116 of them prior to them taking their exams. I know from personal accounts that many have suffered personal and emotional abuse; all because they wanted to learn and improve their life chances.

Closer to home, last week I attended Wadham School’s Awards Evening, which is always an uplifting experience. What became apparent during the presentations is that although we must not forget that educational attainment is to be applauded, there is much, much more to being educated than gaining high marks in exams. This was borne out by Bethany Lacey’s achievement in being ranked the No.1 tennis player in Somerset and others who in their chosen field had done particularly well. Good schools, no matter what their status, will always aim to provide a real community atmosphere in which achievement and good behaviour flourish.

It was with this in mind that I was especially pleased to join our current President, Harley Pope, to hand over our brand new ‘Service Above Self’ award to two worthy young ladies, Madeline Bennett and Molly Daniel, primarily for their work in supporting refugees. I was particularly keen that we took forward this initiative, based on the Rotary International motto, and with a globe as the trophy, signifying the wider world. Through my work in supporting vulnerable youngsters, as Childrens’ Champion for Somerset, I am all too aware of the influences that can make or break their fragile lives. When surrounded by negativity, and less than ideal personal circumstances, sometimes it can just be a small word of encouragement that will turn a young person’s life around and give them the hope they need to move forward and follow their dreams.

Praise someone today, and see their face light up

Launch of Ashill Outdoor Gym

ASHILL OUTDOOR GYM

CLLR LINDA VIJEH WILL PERFORM THE

OPENING CEREMONY ON 15 OCTOBER 2016 AT 11.30AM

In response to local identified need, five items of equipment have been installed in Ashill Playing Field, suitable for anyone 14 years of age and over.

*Are you at risk of ill health or have been recommended by health professionals to improve your fitness?

·         Do you enjoy exercise but can’t afford to join a gym?

·        Do you seek the camaraderie of exercising whilst chatting with friends?

Come along to the Opening Ceremony and find out how each piece of equipment can benefit you.  An Athletics Coach will be running 2 series of sessions to facilitate show you how to benefit from each piece of equipment.

The bonus – IT’S ALL FREE!!!

Ashill Parish Council is grateful to the Lottery, SSDC Community Fund and money provided by Cllr. Vijeh from her SCC Health & Well-being Scheme for funding this facility.

For more details contact Brenda Pyle -  brendapyle@btinternet.com

THE ARCHERS : Verdict

I have been listening to the Archers ever since I was a child. I would join my grandfather for breakfast on a Sunday morning, and over smoked haddock, still one of my favourite things to eat, we would listen to the omnibus edition together.

Some 50 years later I still tune in whenever I can, but in recent weeks it has been increasingly difficult for me to detach myself from the main storyline; it is only fiction after all.

I believe it is right that programmes like The Archers try to reflect our modern day society, but sometimes the story line is just too close to home for many people. Partly through my involvement with Samaritans, I have been a long-time supporter of some of some of our most vulnerable people, both adults and children, and I spend much of my working life listening to and defending those who are the victims of abuse.

Regular listeners will be familiar with the plotline relating to Rob and Helen Titchener that has dominated for some time.

Along with millions of others across the nation this week, I breathed a sigh of relief, when after months of speculation the ‘not guilty’ verdict was reached by the jury; phew, justice was seen to be done, but it was a close run thing.

Most of us, when we think of abuse, tend to think of the physical kind, involving violence or unwarranted sexual activity, where the evidence is often all too apparent. Almost on a daily basis our newspapers are peppered with graphic images of bruised faces, permanent disfigurement and other evidence of life threatening injuries as a result of such abuse.

In a civilised society, we must be outraged and intolerant of such behaviour, doing all that we can to bring the perpetrators to justice.

What the Archers has highlighted though is that the scars of mental and emotional abuse may not be outwardly visible but the invidious, constant, persistent chipping away at a person’s confidence and self-esteem can be much more damaging. This was the type of abuse, that for all of his false outward charm, Rob Titchener was able to inflict on his wife Helen over a long period of time.

Had she not stabbed him the situation could have continued for many years, until finally she became the shell of a person he was trying to engineer though his despicable behaviour.  

The fear of not being believed is very powerful as all too often, when confronted with the evidence, onlookers will be sceptical and disbelieving. This is all part of the perpetrator’s plan, and something we see especially with children, who are less likely to be believed over an adult, especially one who can be so convincing.

Much as I admire our legal system, the flaws in the jury were all too apparent. In such situations there is clearly a risk where the individuals concerned will always bring their own pre-conceived ideas and prejudices to bear in making judgment.

I have personal experience of this as a member of a jury some years ago. It is not something I would willingly experience again.

Thankfully things have moved on in recent years, with victims being more willing to come forward, but we still have a long way to go.

Grammar schools

As a former free school meals kids, who grew up in a council flat with my mum, who was a single parent, I have found it difficult in the last few days to listen to the rhetoric of the naysayers in the wake of the Education Secretary’s announcement over the re-introduction of grammar schools.

I am one of the 3% from a ‘poor’ family who had the opportunity to go to grammar school and will forever be thankful for that. Whilst I have never been a high flyer, there was too much else going in my family for me to be able to achieve my full potential, what I gained, and what I feel is of the utmost importance, is an understanding of the importance and value of education, and what it can help one to do in later life.

Much has been said about social mobility and the ‘haves’ and have nots’. There is no doubt that those families who are better off have an unfair advantage when it comes to access to good education; the ability to move to an area with better schools, or to have their children coached to ensure success in the required exams, whether it be the 11+ or common entrance exam for a public school.

What is missing here though, is the importance of attitude towards education. I am still the only person in my entire family to have obtained ‘A’ levels and some form of further education, largely gained during adulthood, as at the time going on to university was not an option.

I have what borders on an obsession with learning, always taking up the offer of free classes in subjects I am interested in; I just cannot get enough.

Children all have different abilities. Some will be academically gifted, whilst others will have practical skills that may not stand up so well to formal examination. Both types of learning, as long a learning is taking place, have an equal value in modern day society. I believe that this balance between the practical and academic cannot always best be served in a comprehensive school. There is often the argument that gifted and talented children do not achieve their full potential in such an environment. This is in part borne out by the number of families I know who are in the lower social economic demographic, but who invest a disproportionate amount of their small incomes on ensuring that their children go to the best school they can afford. ‘Free school meals’ is also red herring; there are many, many families who are eligible but not claim because of the continued stigma.

It is patronising to refer to lower income families as if they are somehow a different species deliberately being excluded from the upper echelons of society. In my experience this is not necessarily the case.

What is paramount, is that we, as a society, instill in everyone, no matter what their social status, a sense of a hopeful successful future, without barriers. One in which everyone can achieve whatever it is that they want, and that when the time comes the support, and appropriate education, will be there for the asking.

One size does not fit all. The focus must always be on what is best for the individual child, which may well be access to a grammar school environment, or not. What must not happen though, is that this the opportunity to attend one is seen as any form of elitism.

Make Edfringe tour...

The Make directors took 8 cast, 2 crew, 2 kids and a bus driver up to the Efringe this year with their new musical STOP! 

The journey took 12 hours with the obligatory rest breaks at Gloucester and Tebay. Thanks to the Stewart's we had a wonderful house waiting for us right at the top of the main street, known as the Mile just off Grassmarket. Known as the Anta house we couldn't afford the trip without their hospitality.

Written by Kat Wilsher, Sophy Layzell and Nat Wilsher, STOP! Centred on conversations held at a Somerset bus stop (both real and imagined) and aimed to challenge our assumptions based on what we see and hear. 

We performed at another TheSpace venue again, this time in Niddry Street, our most exciting venue yet. Thrust staging with 79 seats, the perfect space for our pop up bus made by Dan Wilsher out of recycled seats from the last show and bits of perspex! We received many compliments from both audience members and staff from the Space about the clever set design, one Space member came along to our technical just to see the bus stop in action!

Running at approx 45 mins from 2.50pm  on Monday 15-Sat 20 August our light-hearted musical comedy was described as 'completely charming' by the husband of a wife who wept her way through  'Who Will I Dance With' as well as 

'thought provoking, performed with gusto + heart!!' By RCBC theatre. 

Oscar nominated director Tom Van Avermaet tweeted to say, '#STOP catchy tunes and a heartfelt message delivered with much enthusiasm by the young Make Theatre'.

Three of our cast aged 16-25, Abi Cousins, Sophie and Thomas Russell, were young students who have worked their way up the Make Performing Arts ranks and have been members of our schools since we launched in 2010. Only Chris Osborne and Nat Wilsher were from the original cast from our first Edfringe tour in 2012. 

Naomi Boxell wrote to say she, 'Cannot believe how quickly the past week has gone! I had the best time performing at the Edinburgh fringe! But I wouldn't have been able to do it without my lovely adopted family. Love you all'

Angus Maxwell who joined the cast at the last minute wrote, 'Missing you all already. It's going to be hard adjusting to life without the occasional screech from Imogen  (directors daughter) or going to see shows every night. I've had the most fun with this trip and will be most definitely be up for the next one, can't be missing out on the quality banter and overall love felt throughout. Love you all guys, rest up and finally just remember; just stop and look around you, you lucky thing.' That last line is a quote from the show!

Chris Osborne wrote, 'I can't thank you guys enough for a wonderful time. I may have been a bit teary when I got home and although they are sad tears they're also happy ones. I can't wait for our next adventure and I hope we can all meet again soon'

Many thanks to those who sponsored and encouraged us on the two year journey that this show has taken;

Linda Vijeh for £1000 funding from the Somerset Health and Wellbeing fund.

The Powde Trust for £600 towards costs to support the educational progression of young men in our cast.

Pauline Burr and South Somerset District Council for funding last years pilot scheme.

 Ilminster Rotary Club

Anta Scotland for accommodation.

Taunton School and Broadway Methodist Chapel for rehearsal space.

Plus our private sponsors: Elisabeth Beverley, Mark and Margot Wilsher, Diane Colethorpe and Make parents who have supported our fundraising events. 

Restoration of Donyatt Halt

Good news at last! - A small committee has been formed to undertake the restoration of the Halt. Volunteers have generously responded and we have now received the following promises:

Waiting Hut: Materials and labour to rebuild the hut. Donyatt Halt sign: Labour to refurbish and replace. Doreen (Interpretation board):  Professional reprinting, framing and erecting.
These generous offers are much appreciated. Thus there remains just one item to complete the entire restoration: The statue of Doreen. This was so extensively damaged by the fire that a complete rebuild is required. The cost for this work, including removal of the damaged sculpture and erection of its replacement is £3,000. Considering the original cost of the statue, we believe this charge is a most generous offer by the original sculptor Ian Edwards who is equally upset by the mindless damage to his work.

As a first step to raise the £3,000 we have set up a bank account entitled: Let’s rescue Doreen and installed a collection box (with the same title) in The George in Donyatt.
Other volunteers are currently engaged in seeking restoration funds from local businesses and other sources such as crowd funding.

WHAT COULD YOU DO? Doreen’s story has touched the hearts of many people who have visited this site – many from far afield – her experiences in the village during WW2 are a reminder of the good that is to be found even during the worst of times.

PLEASE make a donation to our Let’s Rescue Doreen fund – however small - and VISIT our Let’s Rescue Doreen website on Facebook

Photo - The statue of Doreen which sits waiting on the platform depicts a young evacuee from London sitting on her case awaiting collection by her carers - more details on our Chard Branch page. Copyright Mike Roach 23rd March 2015