Bute / Coniston Back to Back

[Mr Hannarack]

I note on other Forum that recent visitors to Campbell’s grave have praised the condition it has been kept in. That work goes right back to September 2001.

Of course we cannot forget that in 2002 Novie got sponsored to the tune of around £2,500 if my memory serves for his participation in the Coniston 14 Run, a gruelling slog around the lanes and roads that circumnavigate the Lake. His goal was to raise money towards installing a new path in the Cemetery that all visitors to Donald’s grave now take, to avoid people criss-crossing between other graves and turning the area around Donald's grave to mud, seeing as Donald was at the back alongside the boundary wall. Despite a calf injury, he completed that run in 2 hours 27 minutes and the £2,500 he raised contributed towards the smart new path.

From September 2001 and for at least 15 years afterwards, Novie tended to the Donald’s grave (unpaid), a weekly grass cut by hand, all the clippings swept up and the path kept clear, the headstone washed with mild soapy water, the flowers kept watered, or returned to the compost when they had gone over. On my sporadic visits to Coniston he would always take me down to assist, but everything had to be just so.

From time-to-time the Robinson’s graves were also tended, after all Connie was close by to look after Donald.

Thankfully his single handed efforts over the years meant that the grave was always in an excellent condition to be handed on to and be tended by others, the task I note now being done by paid help.

Just putting the record straight as it would seem some people can have short or selective memories.

Top work mate, as always.

Paul

[Renegadenemo]

the task I note now being done by paid help.

Paid help? You sure?

I can only assume the grave needs some sort of specialist care nowadays that unfortunately must be outsourced from far away.

Why would someone ever have to be paid? Coniston is full of beautifully tended gardens so any number of people could just grab a few tools and keep it right, same as Novie did for 16 years without thought of reward other than the satisfaction of a job well done?

[Richie]

Seems someone has been paid by the museum to tend to the grave. I am guessing this is after the many years that Novie spent doing such work for free, as long as it is being tended to I guess.

I did note that Barry was immediately jumped on for suggesting Novie undertook such work.....

Usual suspects as Mr Hannarack has eluded already “conveniently forgetting”

0A5C8EA8-7F91-4B62-96FF-41C04F526F98.png

[Renegadenemo]

Mr H could always whizz up from Southport on Starship Teabag of a weekend and do it for free?

[Filtertron]

I'm surprised old mate Stuckleberry didn't volunteer to do it.

[Jordangbr]

So a small update.
The Trustees have replied with a query and I have addressed it straight away. I have offered four more dates towards the end of the month which will give everyone ample time to agree and prepare.

[Renegadenemo]

So a small update.
The Trustees have replied with a query and I have addressed it straight away. I have offered four more dates towards the end of the month which will give everyone ample time to agree and prepare.

This all bodes very well - but not for obvious reasons...

It seems that, in committee land, when someone or something comes seeking engagement that doesn't suit the committee types the standard response is the fingers in the ears, la-la-la approach combined with delaying tactics (we need to have a meeting to decide whether to have a meeting), excuses (if we have a meeting it might prejudice any following meeting) and all manner of other obfuscation until the other party gets fed up and stops asking.
So here we have a choice of good outcomes - either Jordan will get to start the ball rolling, and that means progress, not a single meeting to give the appearance of having done something followed by more of the above, or the file of 'look how many times and in how many ways we've tried to get things done' gets fatter and fatter. Whether it's a case of getting some serious negotiations underway or watching a sleepwalk to disaster it matters not from our point of view because ultimately the outcome is the same.

[Richie]

https://youtu.be/uxcWPDOSyE4


Watching the music video to its very end, brings home a remarkable man to his loved ones but at the same time re kindles the legend that was Campbell and K7, all made possible by another man who features in the very same music video.


Poignant, yes I would say so.

Folk need to keep that in mind as we go forwards from here.

[Jordangbr]

Good news.
The Trustees have agreed to an online meeting.
Hopefully we will have some positive progress.

[Healey nut]

Don’t want to be a Debbie Downer but agreeing to a meeting (virtual or otherwise) and actually going through with said meeting are two different things .
Fingers crossed this is the start of better things but the pessimist in me is not confident.