The Spoon Drawer

A long thing, a wet thing.

Did I enjoy every minute? nope. Did I enjoy most of it? nope.

But, did I finish it? yes. Did I run every step? yes. Did I finish in 3h59m and 26 seconds? hell yeah!

THANK YOU to EVERY single one of you who donated and made it worth doing the thing. I won't do it again so don't worry...you will stop hearing about this very soon.

It was the hardest thing I've done physically, and almost as wet as the last horrid (virtual) London Marathon I did in 4h2m in 2020.

I AM happy, honest....but I think I'll only realise that in a day or two more. I'm aching but it's a nice ache and only going DOWN stairs hurts and I ain't picking anything of the floor any time soon.

BUT...without seeming arrogant, and I know Nicola Hunt gets it (thank you so much for saying exactly what's in my head), but I did think I could possibly hit 3h40m...looking at my 22 mile training run to Bedworth and back which I did in 3:00 including a fall at 19 miles only a few weeks ago...so 4 hours was a surprise. BUT as I'd written off that target by mile 20 when I was overtaken by the 3:55 pacers (obviously not MY pacers in the end) it was a pleasant one.

Why did it take me 20+ minutes more than I thought? why was every single step after Tower Bridge awful? I put it down to 'sensory overload'. From Saturday AM getting to London on shitty trains, getting to the Expo to pick up my number in 5 mins then getting back to the AirBnb (surely making this mandatory to do in person is all about trying to sell me more running tech I don't need), meeting Shiv and the girls who arrived later, trying to eat well, get some sleep, then getting up in Tower Hamlets and trying to eat something when the stomach said NO...finding out the Underground line to Lewisham was out of action, having to get 3 tubes to get to Blackheath (waiting for 4 trains before one has 3cm of space for me to fit in), walking up to the heath not even being able to see any of London on the horizon, queuing for the toilet I didn't even need because I'd been told I should, hanging around in the cold and wet for 90 mins then ALL that 'I don't know what is going on' in my head.

Once we had started it felt...ok....I did have a little space and quickly I started chatting to the lovely Amber who entertained and motivated me all the way to Tower Bridge....but then I 'let her go' to smash it in 3h42m. What I did know but didn't prepare for, I don't know how you could, was the noise, the cheering, the banging choons, the puddles, the desolate drab arse end of London for the first 13 miles (except a tiny bit of Cutty Sark) then another 10 of drab 'could be any city in the world' before the final ouchy 3 miles where you CAN see London but you just want to see a foil blanket.

4 hours of simultaneously trying to ignore the other 44,000 runners and having to be uber-aware where they are about to slow/stop inches in front of you, elbow past you or find a tiny gap to slip between them in a rare burst of speed. Exhausting and VERY different to a happy 13 miles to Kenilworth and back taking in the sights and smells of HS2.

Then the cheering was lovely, and I WISH I had put my name on my shirt...every 30 seconds...bloody 'GO AMBER YOU'RE SMASHING IT' whilst an older grumpier looking bloke got no love. I really WANTED to high five all the kids but by halfway I just didn't have anything to give them...

Then to nail my coffin, seeing so many obviously keen runners (in vests!) pulling up with cramp, lying on the street covered in coats and holding their loved one's hands over the barrier...thinking all the time 'my calves are going to cramp soon, that will be me' all the way to the line.

So...I've done it and that's a closed chapter I think. I know people say 'you'll change your mind' but I don't think I will. Those 34 seconds I think mean I don't feel I need to prove anything. I don't get my running mojo from races, medals or speed. Parkrun maybe...but I might have also reached my peak there with 22:03...

Back to solo running, early sunny mornings, podcasts on and my stats on Strava and fewer wobbly bits to motivate me.

BUT THANK YOU ALL for support, cash and love. xx

Especially Siobhán Harrison and my amazing girls who had a shit time in shit busy wet tiring London too.

Look at the face. That says it all

Yesterday was an amazing positive day on social media (and these seem few and far between these days) with the incredible show of support and passion for #ThisIsCoventry. Now we need to keep this going all the way to 2021, whether we win the bid or not, and beyond. How can we do this?

I run round our city 4 or 5 times a week and I see all types of houses, shops, businesses, parks, communities and people. So I can see it's not a boring, uncultured city like some people rant about on Facebook, usually in the ironically named True Coventrian group, but it's not perfect and I think I know how we can ALL help. Because I do see a lot of rubbish on the floor, some areas worse than others but much more everywhere than we should be comfortable with. So...

In 2018, how about 353,000 people pick up 3 bits of litter around their house or work once a week (and not drop any).

Then how about 353,000 people shop at one local independent business once a month, 353,000 people visit one of our free museums 4 times a year, 353,000 people go to see something at one of our theatres once a year, 353,000 take their kids to play on the swings in one of our great parks when it's sunny, 353,000 visit Godiva Festival and realise you don't see a fight, 353,000 people say hello to 3 people in the street every day, 353,000 people try some genuine world cuisine from a restaurant run by families not corporations, 353,000 discover their home by getting off the settee and buying tickets to a local gig or social event (Pecha Kucha 5th December at The Tin 8pm 😘). 353,000 realise that shops are closing because some of that 353,000 stopped going into town 'because it's not as good as Birmingham' and that if 353,000 go into town then more shops will be able to stay open and more will join them. If 353,000 stop dropping litter because 'it's a shithole anyway' stop to realise they are making it more of a shithole. If that huge proportion of 353,000 people who say 'I haven't been to Fargo Village yet' don't wait another 3 years then find Fargo Village' has closed down because 353,000 didn't visit. If 353,000 wake up and think 'I live here, wouldn't it be nice if I helped make it better than just moaning'.

If a tiny percentage of that 353,000 who say 'it's boring, there's nothing to do' got up and made something happen... That's how the Shop Front Theatre started, how Pecha Kucha Nights happened, how Drink and Draw got going, how Inspire and Twisted Barrel were founded, how The Nursery Tavern started putting on really intimate gigs, how the Big Comfy Bookshop became more about music and painting and poetry than books, how the Evening Telegraph building became a pop up venue, how the Deep Fat Friar started dressing up and giving tours of our walls, how Highly Sprung started teaching kids how to have more confidence and enjoy creating art, how Positive Youth Foundation started working with kids from all backgrounds and giving them the skills to perform in front of their home city, how people said yes to perform in Shakespeare Street or sing in Coventry Market the Musical or Let's Go Round Again the ringroad homage, it's how Parkrun attracts hundreds of runners to Memorial Park every Saturday, it's how FabLab got off the ground and now teaches 3d printing skills to anyone interested, it's how the Charterhouse opens up to the public, it's how passionate ambassadors dressed in pink flood many events to keep up safe and give us a great time...voluntarily. These people didn't sit on social media and moan that Coventry is boring, these people did something. You don't even have to start something or be on the committee for something, you could help promote or shout about something, you could offer to help one week at something, you could just attend something.

353,000 could choose NOT to live in a shithole, they could choose to make their city somewhere that is talked about positively locally, nationally and globally whether we win the 2021 bid or not.

So, start on January 1st or now...but start, pick up some rubbish today. That's one less bit of a shithole.

You can’t get away from people these daysbanging on about how we are going to beat 10 other cities to the title of UK City of Culture in 2021. We all know Coventry doesn’t have culture right? I see people saying that all the time on Facebook and the bottom half of the internet of the Coventry Telegraph site. Paisley is going to win coz we need to keep Scotland sweet, St David’s NEED £1,600 of investment PER resident, Coventry is shite…all that kind of guff.

So I thought I’d see just what culture (if any) the Family Spoon had stumbled across in just the last 12 months. Using only Google Photos as my guide and looking what I’ve taken photos of since 5th March 2016. Probably only a few snaps of a manky park or a broken fountain right?

Let’s go…you won’t be here long. 

Apparently we spent the last twelve months:

Partying for Matilda’s 8th birthday and having a treasure hunt around the magnificent Memorial Park

Swaying at one of many acoustic gigs at the Big Comfy Bookshop

Watching Ian Cook make jaw dropping art with remote control cars at his Pop Bang Colour HQ at Fargo Village

Travelling round the world at Theatre Absolute with one of a bundle of shows as part of a festival (so many happen I can’t remember the name)

Watching Nick Barker blow up some balloons with a Chemistry family lecture to raise money for Warwick in Africa

Enjoying Tilly performing at Sprungsters - Highly Sprung’s weekend physical theatre classes

Racing on Mario Kart whilst supping a Bubble Boba at Fargo

Taking on the yoof at the skate park in Memorial Park

Making glow in the dark structures with carrots at the Transport Museum

Munching on the special kid’s afternoon teas at Mocha Lounge in Allesley Park (soon to reopen)

Being wowed by a group of local amateurs performing live Romeo & Juliet in Broadgate

Enjoying the smiling faces at the Looked After Children open air cinema organised by the amazing Fiona Linton

Watching many street performers that pop up in town including a slacklining violin player and a junk drummer

Going on our yearly pilgrimage to Earlsdon Festival which mainly involves eating amazing street food

Recording a pot pourri of Big Comfy Sessions with talented musicians from across the globe

Stuffing more food in our faces at Digbeth Dining Club in the cathedral ruins

Played at pretty much every park in the city, but still some to discover

Staring for hours at the Grayson Perry tapestries in the Herbert

Geeking out at Board Game Night at the Big Comfy Bookshop

Watching the Honey Badgers amateur ice hockey team slam another opponent at the Sky Dome

Getting blown away by the sublime Ry X at Warwick Arts Centre

Getting hunted by aliens amongst 1,001 other activities at Warwick Arts Centre Family Weekend

Staring at tiny dioramas in an abandoned container outside Coventry University

Petrolheading at the world premiere of the Aston Martin Vulcan and stock cars racing round the ring road at Motofest

Being delightfully baffled by art rock band Swoompthang as part of Ludic Rooms’ Random String Festival

Politicising with Eddie Izzard at a free Brexit gig at Warwick Arts Centre

Sailing and singing with Son of Town Hall at The Tin

Drowning whilst supporting the Aviva Women’s Tour as they cycled through the University of Warwick

Hunting for fairy doors in Allesley Park

Hanging out at the fabulous Allesley Park Library, not just books but tunnels and activities!

Watching dancing JCBs, and listening to tales in a caravan at the launch of the 2021 bid during Godiva Festival

Rocking out with the Boomtown Rats and Space at the Godiva Festival proper, slurping down sno-cones and chilling with the cop’s cop Kerry Blakeman

Ice skating at the Sky Dome with the kids and the penguins

Attending the red carpet showing of the BFG at Warwick Arts Centre complete with snozzcumber sandwiches and frobscottle

Playing with our favourite blocks at The Herbert and the room of delight stuffed with explorable constructions every school holiday

Marvelling at the amazing Lego Brick Wonders exhibition (FOR FREE!!) at The Herbert

Animating at an inspiring workshop at Fargo Village

Finding and hiding one of hundreds of Geocaches in our little city

Riding the perfectly unchanged roundabout in the market

Touring the Charterhouse and Lunt Roman Fort during Heritage Open Weekend

Stumbling across the New York Brass Band in Broadgate as part of no event whatsoever…just because

Staring slack-jawed at the beautiful Urban Astronaut flying around cathedral square

Sauntering during my lunch hour and discovering new sculptures around the Warwick campus

Dancing like loons to the incredible Hope & Social and local star Shanade at the Tin

Getting the Masterji treatment at the first exhibition by 94 year local photographer in the Box at Fargo Village

Thinking and drinking at one of the 4 Pecha Kucha nights at The Tin

Watching out for giant owls and mustached devils in Broadgate during the celebrations of Dia de los Muertes

Saxing with Fleur East at the heaving Christmas Lights switch on party

More Chemistry fun at the University of Warwick Christmas Lectures

Feeding the swans and running the grounds at Coombe Abbey, more than once

Learning amazing knife skills and being shown I can cook fish and LIKE it by Will at the 75 Company in Earlsdon

Sailing away with the Owl and the Pussycat at the Belgrade Theatre

and that’s just within the city walls (ish), let alone jaunts to other amazing gigs, exhibitions and events in nearby Leamington, Compton Verney and even Birmingham, and JUST what my Google Photos tell me we did...even I don’t snap everything so bet there is MUCH MORE.

When I first heard that Coventry was considering bidding to be the Capital of Culture in 2021 I wasn’t suprised but I did think ‘hell yeah’. Next year will be a big milestone for my Coventry love affair, I will have lived here for longer than I’ve lived anywhere, including my wellspring of Yorkshire. So, why did my blood turn from gravy to sky blue?

I was ‘sent to Coventry’ due to getting a graduate job at Marconi and moved down here not knowing anything apart from that phrase. I walked round the Lower Precinct early on, looked around the concrete and the people and thought ‘I have to find a wife here, I’m not even sure I want to be here’. 

However, over the last 17 years I’ve seen Coventry change and with it my opinion and my attraction to the old girl (my wife ended up being from Kent in the end ;o). 

So, why should Coventry win the title and what would it mean for us?

I have to promote the city as part of my job, recruiting students for Warwick, so have to convince young people to be excited to move here, and colleagues to shout about it as much as me. When I’m asked what is the best thing about Cov I always point to the music, the theatre, the events and the people. I mean, I love brutalist 60s architecture as much as the next man but it’s always the culture I return to.

The city doesn’t shout about itself, it teases but makes you work to discover its jewels. This is in line with the need to explore to find ‘medieval Cov’ too, you never know what’s hiding behind, or underneath, that ‘ugly’ council building. I urge people to seek out the history and you’ll be amazed. The recent Heritage Open Days showed us rooms in the old cathedral we’d walked past for 17 years, secret crypts, bits of wall and the back of Godiva’s horse. So, we have historical culture in spades, but we sometimes need spades to uncover it.

However, the more recent culture is all around us in Coventry. I think you could enjoy some local music every night of the week. I’ve been privileged over the last few years to get to know some of our talent that deserve to be loved by a much wider audience. Most of them however have the Cov trait of modesty, but a trip to The Big Comfy Folk Club, The Tin, The Nursery Tavern, Playwrights, Warwick Arts Centre or one of myriad other venues and you will find something surprising and delightful. We even cater for major rock acts that literally set the Ricoh Arena on fire and for such a ‘small’ city that’s no mean feat. We need the Capital of Culture to help us share our music with the country.

Even if music isn’t your thing then you can find some amazing theatre happening in the strangest of places. An old fish and chip shop? yup, let’s have Theatre Absolute’s shop front theatre. The cathedral ruins? a perfect location for open air mystery plays. And if there isn’t anything on in the well renowned Belgrade Theatre or Warwick Arts Centre, or less well known Albany Theatre, or delightfully low key Criterion then take to the streets and catch Coventry’s own amazing theatre groups, Talking Birds, Highly Sprung, Imagineer Productions, Mercurial Dance, Vortex Creates and many more my word limit won’t allow. Where else could you see a 9 metre tall Lady Godiva bringing the city to a standstill, a metal whale full of stories, 1.5km of huge dominoes crashing through the shopping centre and MUCH much more? London? Liverpool? Bristol? maybe, but we have had all this in modest Cov. Who knew? not enough people….let’s show ‘em all!

I’ve probably run out of words way up there but cannot leave without waving a flag for our museums and art galleries too. The Herbert is a place our kids love going, even when there isn’t an exciting exhibition on (which is rare), just to run around in the amazing space or taking part in their seemingly continuous programme of craft activities. The recent Children’s Television exhibition shouted up above the rest though and got our city noticed! You can then wander a few hundred metres and end up in the Transport Museum, which was always great but after the huge redevelopment, is now unquestionably world class. More art at Warwick Arts Centre again (3 mentions and not just because I work there ;o) with the Mead Gallery and we now have The Box at Fargo Village, a new space already making people set off to discover our very own Camden Market. 

So, music, theatre, art, dance, museums, street performances…the fastest car in the world (not strictly culture but she’s so beautiful she’s a work of art), the home of Two-Tone, Europe’s first city centre Ikea? we just can’t stop being groundbreaking (you never know we might find a new crypt or WWII bomb).

And these are just the things that are easy to Google and you might find in a tourist information leaflet. There are weird and wonderful things happening round every corner that come, delight and then leave. Shop windows that dance when you walk past them courtesy of Ludic Rooms, flashmobs teaching you how to queue properly, the Big Comfy Sessions bringing international stars to record music videos in a bookshop, happy memories of Coventrians being turned into a musical, a Fortnight of mysterious adventures for the brave...and the things you just can’t explain like the very active Pecha Kucha Nights. Blink and you’ll miss them but they live on in our hearts.

So, what would the City of Culture 2021 mean to Coventry? not much, we do all this anyway. But it IS about time that the rest of country, hell the world, moved the spotlight onto the city and we could finally remove ‘that phrase’ from the urban dictionary. “Sent? no…I ran there with open arms”.

As my review of my most listened to albums of 2014 has been so popular I thought I'd do one for my most read books (thanks for the inspiraration @SalopSkyBlue)...tbh I've read most of these once ;o) I originally intended to keep my 'published in 2014' rule like I did with the music but I've found so many of the books I've enjoyed are older than I thought..so books that I've read in 2014 will do.

1. The Martian - Andy Weir

I saw a poster for this book on Coventry Train Station and to prove you can judge a book by its cover, the recommendation from Hugh Howey and the tagline was enough for me. A really tense enjoyable romp about an astronaut left behind on Mars and his struggle for survival against the odds, and those odds are HUGE, he's on MARS ALONE!

2. The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair - Joel Dicker

Another book that sucked me in by its cover, I'm VERY much into big white typography at the moment ;o). The story is a meta one about an author writing a book about his friend Harry Quebert and how he's been accused of murdering his young girlfriend 30 odd years earlier. A gripping mystery and enjoyable style.

3. The Humans - Matt Haig

I've seen so much praise for this novel this year that I'm sure you've already heard about it but...I also think it is one of the most moving and funny books I've ever read. The story is about an alien who takes over the body of a renowned scientist on Earth in order to kill anyone who might know about his 'dangerous' discovery. The alien has to learn what it takes to be human to undertake his mission, and the last chapter which is a summary of advice for humans is just awesome and so moving. Enjoy.

4. Burial Rites - Hannah Kent

A book choice from the Big Comfy Bookshop bookclub and initially I wasn't sold on the idea. It looked a bit 'literary' and even 'chicky' but I persisted. A dark dark Scandinavian noir murder mystery from the 1800's revolving around the 'death row' period of the accused. Beautiful cold scenery and emotions ooze off the pages and I rattled through it.

5. Columbine - Dave Cullen

A combination of a 99p offer from Amazon and a 'look at the car crash' mentality I think we all 'suffer' from sometimes caused me to buy this. I knew as much as we all do about the horrific massacre at Columbine but this book goes into ALL the detail, not in a gruesome way but explores the two boys and why they did it and how they did it. Basically a fascinating insight into something that will never be forgotten but probably not fully remembered by the media.

6. Adventures in Stationery: A Journey Through Your Pencil Case - James Ward

A book ALL about pens, paperclips and push pins? what's not to love. A love story to all those items in your desk drawer with a humorous look at the history and emotions behind them all. If you love the cover, you'll adore the book.

7. The Rosie Effect - Graham Simsion

A sequel to the huge Rosie Project, a tale of as Aspergers' academic and his attempt to find love. This book follows on from there and is centered around his worries about becoming a Dad. A very gentle comedy that surely will make it to the silver screen soon. Zooey Deschanel, wait by the phone!

8. The Little Book of Lunch - Caroline Craig and Sophie Missing

A beautiful book that is all about how to make your lunch times at your desk more satisfying. My favourite recipes are the Smoked Salmon and Celeriac Remoulade on Rye Bread and all of the ones with chorizo in!! Easy to make in 10-15 mins in the morning and I can't wait to try more.

9. The Bookshop Book - Jen Campbell

The only analogue book I bought this year. I went to a book reading of this book about bookshops by a woman who works in a bookshop, the reading was in a bookshop which was mentioned in the book. Phew...but thanks Big Comfy Bookshop! it was a lovely evening and the book continued to make me smile with tales of weird and WONDERFUL bookshops around the world.

10. The Sheriff - Simon Fairbanks

A little tongue in cheek this one as I have the pleasure of working with Simon and he's done more than a little promotion of his debut novel this year ;o) However, I enjoyed his tale of the wild west in the clouds, a bit magical, a bit fantasy but all in all a great story with lions (or is he?) and heroes. I put this mainly in the list as I'm blown away that anyone I actually know can sit down and write a novel, and another one (Circ) in an year and it be pretty damn good! The big Fairbanksi has started and I think will go much much further.

The also rans

I also enjoyed these:

The Girl with all the Gifts - M. R. Carey - A post apocalyptic tale where children seem to have special powers, but will kill you on sight. 

Ayoade on Ayoade - Richard Ayoade - Weirdness you'd expect from Richard but stuffed full of very clever interviews with himself and big words.

Too Much Information - Dave Gorman - DG's usual quirky but highly intelligent and bloody funny look at what the media, advertising and t'internet are doing to us.

Personal - Lee Child - More of the same? yes...thank you. That Jack Reacher just can't keep out of trouble!

The Clitheroe Prime Minister - Steven Suttie - A gentle comedy and thought provoking tale of a random 'normal' being plucked to be Prime Minister after a social media storm. I'd vote for him!

The Beat Goes On - Ian Rankin - A collection of short stories and exclusives that mean old Rebus is still fighting crime.

And the 3 books I just couldn't finish:

The Bees - Laline Paull - Bee Movie worked as it's a kids film and a cartoon. This didn't as it's a grown up story about a bee community. Watership Down it ain't.

The Luminaries - Eleanor Catton - I know I'm supposed to have loved this but I just got nowhere and the story was...well I don't know, a group of people telling a story about something. I got bored.

Jeb-boom - the room where Mummy and Daddy sleep.

Cow Poo - thank you

Huzzle - a squirrel

Feeties - sweets

Numster - her Scully toy

Wishished - used to inform us when something is completed

Lollibobbies - a Tuesday treat

Silly Bonker - Mainly Daddy apparently, usually used with Cheeky Monkey too

Tattytoos - mainly Frozen temporary ones (until she is 30 at least)

I asked for your weirdest food guilty pleasure and this is the menu.

Starters

Salad Cream (solo) - @rachelradiostar

Brown Sauce Butties - @rachelradiostar

Tomato Ketchup Sandwiches - @jamesmears

with added Salad Cream - @mr_spoon

Cheese & Onion Crisps and Strawberry Jam Sandwiches - @Rossi4Fulham

Peanut Butter & Ham Sandwiches - @jamierayat

Raspberry Jam & Strong Cheddar (on Brown Bread) - @emslj

Microwaved Cheese (a la plate) - @PsychoMumma

Mayonnaise on Toast - @PsychoMumma

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Mains

Tuna with Mint Sauce - @MissEmmaLouise

Tinned Tuna with Campbells Condensed Chicken Soup - @predacomdom

Meat Pie Sandwich - @lisacov19

Microwaved Mini Pork Pie in Fresh White Bap smeared with Butter (with Ketchup and splatted) - @mr_spoon

Fresh White Bread + 3 slices of Bacon + sliced Banana (fresh chillies optional) - @RichHarrison72

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Pudding

Rice Pudding with Marmalade - @coleone21

Cheese & Crackers with Salad Cream - @MissEmmaLouise 

Pickled Onion Crisps dipped in Strawberry Yoghurt @toomanydresses

Bourbons (with Peanut Butter dip) - @andrewdmitchell

Guavioli (guava and ravioli) - @FredNGingaBuns

Dry Weetabix (with butter) - @FredNGingaBuns

Chocolate Biscuits with Sliced Banana - @daveyjay1985

Porridge (with Peanut Butter) - @@loonytoon

A muffin wrapper sucked then spat out - Nichola Howell

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Drinks

(McDonald's) Fries dipped in Thickshake - @MissEmmaLouise & @predacomDom

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After a 4 hour drive back from a family holiday in Scarborough, I have to admit the idea of getting on a coach to a mystery location and then taking part in interactive theatre wasn't exactly top of my wish list. 

We had tickets for the whole family to Warwick Arts Centre's production of Bank On It, a collaboration between Theatre-Rites and the University of Warwick's Economics Department, as part of the sadly under promoted national Family Arts Festival. The show was aimed at 5+ and was to explore the current financial crisis and world situation. Yawn?

NO! From the moment we joined the queue at the bus stop inside the WAC my two daughters were excited. We were lead to a waiting coach and set off to the secret location. I do feel that a trick was missed on the coach as it was left to the parents to try to build up the anticipation, a crazy tour guide might have added to the experience. 

However, the moment we stepped off the coach outside an empty building near the Bishop Street sorting office the magic happened. We hung our coats up and entered The Bank. Once inside the reception area we immediately were joined by a group of strange but beguiling customers

The first squeal of delight from my daughter was when a squashed face appeared inside the realistic cash machine on the wall. The Bank Manager was hiding from his customers and told us all to go away. We didn't of course and started to chase him through the bank.

The set was incredible with corridors, rooms and offices. The attention to detail was amazing and in the filing room we were treated to a peek-a-boo Bank Manager, the Regulator who wouldn't stop adding up, a song about the fiscal crisis (amazingly captivating a 5 and a 2 year old) and the brilliant filing robot. Date of BURTH...will stick in my head for a long time.

We learnt all about our customer guides and then split into smaller groups to go into 6 rooms and learn more about why the bank was in trouble. In each room we were told about how to spend and save sensibly, saving water, electricity, trees, the sea, rare elements and the bees. We made bees from pipe cleaners, drew trees and turned off the lights. The highlight for Tilly was the sea room where we all got to hold a fish projecting sweetie jar and play chase with each other's sea life.

After we had learnt all about saving our planet, and our money, a secret seventh room was revealed. This room was the climax and a beatiful and magical scene was played out that reminded me of a mini Olympic Opening Ceremony. Lights shone, fountains squirted, music played and wishes were made. Everyone in the audience got a penny to make a wish with and this in turn made more magic happen.

After this show stopping scene, we all got to write another wish we wanted to share (the other's were our secrets of course) on a filing card and have it approved by the Regulator. Jars filled shelves in this room where we could read previous customer's wishes. 

Overall, we left with a smile and delight in my daughter's eyes as they clutched their pennies tight, second ones given to pass on to a friend so they can make their own wish.

We had a wonderful time, the set was stunning, the performances were intoxicating and the messages given and learnt were serious yet engaging.

If you get a chance, if the bank opens again near you, open an account!

That's my review, now read Tilly's (5 years old)

So, it turned out that I was right....I picked Leah to get me loads of points right at the start and she did! OK, I may have picked her as my loser but that's the beauty of a flawed scoring system ;o)

Here is the final table and you can see we have SIX, yes SIX winners, and 5 prizes...thanks :o(

So far the prizes have gone this way:

1st - Claire Avery - TAYLOR'S BUTCHER'S £25 MEAT VOUCHER

2nd - Graham Mulvaney - WANTS THE FLAMMABLE TEDDY FROM TINDERBOX TOYS, should I let him take the booby prize?

3rd - Richard Harrison - ??

4th - Claire Smith - ??

5th - Catherine Thomson & Ian Eccleston - ?????

BOOBY - Jim Bell - ??

I'll let Jim decide if he wants the teddy or let Graham take this then I will offer the other prizes in order.

Thank you, £161 for MIND and MACMILLAN and lots of fun. Amazing and HUGE THANKS TO ALL THE PRIZE DONATERS

@taylorsbutchers

@tinderboxtoys

@bennzaksflorist

@covblazehockey

@aquafm