Paul Johnston

Treatment Centres like Tyrwhitt House funded by Combat Stress has facilities that have been specially built to provide for ex servicemen and woman who are physically disabled and suffer from PTSD. Projects like 36, Grays Lane in Ashtead help families to get closure to loved one at the rehabilitation centre Headley Court; this could only come about by donations collected by SSAFA. Charitable organisations engaged in assisting serving and former members of the armed forces and their families, saves the MOD £££, so why should 15% from donations collect during events held on MOD Defence Estate property go back to the HM Treasury? Would members please write to their MP or if you are on the internet go in to the web page http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/servicecharities/ and sign the petition

Friday last - dashing to get the last ten Council nominations in from Conservative candidates across Kingston. Had almost forgotten appointment with the Great Man from Minnesota until Mary Reid rang me early in the morning to talk about lunch and would I bring him home..........

At 12 noon this really friendly man walked into the Conservative Group office at the Guildhall. I have always been leary of IT professionals. They have a tendancy to talk about things I know nothing about. Well, Griff Wigley isn't a bit like that. I thought we'd have a half hour chat and I could get back to my nomination papers. We ended up involving Group Leader Kevin Davis, Priyen Patel the Group Researcher and Kate Stinton, our head of office and the discussion got around to podcasts, which seem a very exciting prospect. Then we arranged to meet again this coming Thursday. The half hour ended up being more than two - and Griff went home in a taxi - I think.

What a pleasure it was to meet Mr. Wigley - and I got my papers in by the end of the day.