I give you ....... the Transition Institute

This week we launched  the Transition Institute (TI) with our partners Nesta. We had a pre-launch dinner at the Hoxton Grill, in partnership with our friend Craig Dearden-Phillips, the night before and then the official launch at the wonderfully snazzy Nesta building 1 Plough Place on Thursday.

The dinner was exceptional. It was one of those where almost everyone who had been asked accepted probably because as Patrick Butler, Editor of Society, Health and Education Policy at the Guardian said, it read like a who's who of social commentators in this field, which is persumably why he agreed to chair. I kicked off by welcoming everyone and explaining a little about the TI, its vision and our journey up to the launch.


The TI is a platform to debate, reflect and produce research, guidelines and best practice in the field of public sector outsourcing. It will not deliver support but act as a commentator among those that do. It will be the place where decision makers such as local and health authorities go to find out how to outsource effectively in a way that will maximise social value. Those that are involved in the TI and subsequently get involved hold one thing to be true: we agree that public services can be delivered more effectively through independent provision but only when providers want to maximise social value above profit.

Christmas 2010, Done!

I am lying in bed, stunned. We have completed the usual festive marathon of friends and family and survived. Following Twitter over the holiday's was fascinating, others tweeting their anticipation, the enjoyment of the 'get together', the fall out, and finally, the regret. Liam Black re-tweeted one of my comments on Christmas, calling it "the most cynical view ever expressed on the subject", I compared the holidays to a wedding that you had to cater yourself and buy all the guests presents. It was, like 99 per cent of my tweets, a joke, but now the dust has settled I am warming to my wedding theme. Why are these events so tricky? Because people, and I include me here, bring their hopes to bare. Christmas is especially rehearsed with ritual and so even more likely to be a top end management prospect that falls short of people's expectations which are to be loved, happy and surprised.

I approach it as I do most things, by planning. I have spreadsheets for the 52 folk requiring gifts and I shop and wrap as early as I can in the month. I then decorate, which is my pleasure, as early as having a house filled with greenery and flowers will allow, and include in my preparations truly mad things like redecorating the spare room which I did 3 weekends beforehand. I love that ad for a cold remedy where the 2 ailing women rattle off the 100 things they are doing in the next 12 hours (including redecorating the bathroom) and don't mention their colds, lovely, and it has to be said, close to the mark. We then have the neighbours in 2 days before, and on Christmas Eve the real party starts with folk coming, staying and going for the next 4 days. It is wonderful, and my children delight in it all, but I don't just need a holiday now, I need a convent where all have taken a vow of silence.

My problem, (OK one of many) is that I try to exceed expectations. This isn't just foolish to do for so many at the same time, but for some, pointing out shortcomings is part of who they are. So as I clamber up the greasy pole I only succeed in showing my Bridget Jonesesque arse. Not a pretty sight. I think next year we might try something different.

Ready, Steady, time to Go home

Its been a wonderful holiday, dodgy weather not withstanding, and we are ending on a high note. Today was the Port Gaverne to Port Isaac swim in aid of the Port Isaac Gig Club. The gigs are the local sport round these parts, with teams competing from each village, each taking responsibility for the up keep and maintenance of their own boat. The gigs themselves are retired eight oar lifeboats and peculiar in design to North Cornwall. Today’s race has not been run for thirty years but local organisers Clare and Steve were hoping it becomes popular enough to raise money for the Isaac gig and become an annual event. Worried about the rocky sea yesterday, Clare told me she didn’t sleep a wink last night.

I had been talking about joining in as I have been swimming in the bay for the last 12 years. But I don’t go out if the sea is too choppy and I have never been further than the headland. This race is over a mile of open sea, against the tide most of the way, and the weather has been so rough there was talk yesterday of cancelling the race altogether. That explains why hubby and I were in The Harbour Restaurant with our lovely friend, restaurateur and chef, Emily and her delightful new beaux, Jason, until the wee hours. Jason is front of house at Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen in Newquay and so no stranger to social enterprise or, isn't it a small world, my friend Liam Black.

After a splendid evening at Emily’s 15th century gem of a bang up to date eaterie, where I had the monkfish and scallops washed down with at least one bottle of New Zealand, Dog Point, too many, I sat out to count shooting stars and bats. The last few nights we have had a comet over head but last night was our first clear sky to view the last of the shooting stars. More Cornish magic. It was for this reason I found my bed rather late.

Oh dear. This morning brought a lovely sunny day, relatively calm seas and Jon Cleave, famous for his Gully Children's Stories, membership of the local and now Internationally famous singing sensation Fisherman's Friends armed with a public address system positioned under my bedroom window, announcing the race was on. So armed with a cup of tea and 2 paracetaomol I tottered down to the beach, signed up and gave my money to the Gig Club. In the end there were 49 swimmers, of which I finished 44th, in as many minutes. It was hard going at times but at least I did it, and avoided the humiliation of being rescued, although my friend Andy, helmsman of the Lifeboat did keep offering to rescue me for most of the journey. Commenting on my less than professional style, Andy felt some of my strokes were not recognisably Olympic ones, although I think he had no difficulty interpreting my hand gestures. Andy told me later that the Lifeboat crew and bet against me making it but his money was on me. Thanks mate!

As a postscript Andy Cameron is a legend, especially to our children who he has taught to surf at his Wavehunters Animal Surf Academy (he's the bloke in shirt and tie standing on the desk in the sea) based in Polzeath. You may have seen him on the telly recently as he had the difficult task of teaching Jeremy Clarkson and team to surf on a Top Gear episode a few weeks ago. Apparently they filmed for 2 days but if you blinked you missed the 20 seconds Andy was trying to get Clarkeson to pull himself together. Andy has got some of the most famous people into the water to sample North Cornwall’s fabulous surf including Kate Moss, Jude Law and even our own Prime Minister, David Cameron (no relation) who was in the papers yesterday encouraging people to holiday at home, giving Cornish surf a special mention.

Oh and I have not forgotten to tell you all about the radio frequency thermal energy laser treatment I was booked in for. I went ahead with it yesterday, remembering to take photos of before and straight after the treatment. I’ll do a full post when the swelling goes down and you can see the final results. I went out last night feeling (and looking) like elephant woman, (although worryingly Emily said I looked no different!?) but have high hopes of a great outcome, thanks Penny Pudd, practice nurse and Veinwave Therapist.

Despite the energetic start to the day we all feel really sad packing up, but as I keep telling my troops we will be back soon enough. On Andy's website it says, leave the office, walk away from your desk and come for a surf. You never have to ask us twice.

Bringing up the rear

Are we there yet?

Sponsored sea swim..Done!