Auntie and Mandela

There's an "ad" running at present on the Beeb showing a series of vignettes with various people glued to their telly/radio watching/listening transfixed as the relevant commentary intones things like, President Kennedy being shot, Man on the moon, etc., the tagline being, “where were you when you heard the news”.

Well twenty years ago today I was in Manchester watching the box, waiting for the release of Nelson Mandela, it was running about an hour late.

When it did happen, it still seemed very surreal, but utterly awe-inspiring. After nearly three decades in prison, the man whom most people acknowledge (we hope) as the Father of the Nation was freed at last, and armed guards escorted him to a crowd of many thousands.

It was a great day, and great coverage from Auntie!

I for one do not see any benefit to be gained from the (virtually) daily outpouring of bile against the Beeb from the right-wing press, for were the BBC to go, we would stand to lose so much more!

Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela!

Today is Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday and also Mandela Day.
Nelson Mandela has fought for social justice for 67 years, and so the campaign is asking people to start with 67 minutes.

Today should bring together people around the world to fight poverty and promote peace and reconciliation.

Well I'll be on a stall in Todmorden doing my bit, not much I know, but every little helps.