The Spirit Of Christmas

We would just like to share with you a couple of stories that have inspired us this year. John read an article in the Telegraph on 11th December entitled "What is it Like to Step on a Landmine". We urge you to go to the Telegraph site and put in this headline. It is about Ben McBean a young black Royal Marine Commando who is an inspiration to us all and in particular to the young people he now regularly speaks to. When asked about his white Mercedes he replies "it cost me an arm and a leg!!!"

John was so moved by this young man that he has just told me that he has written a poem about him.

“I don’t feel angry” he said

“Anyone can stand on a bomb”

Such philosophical maturity in this

Young squaddie puts me to shame.

Such positivity should make us

Grasp life with both hands,

And wring every last drop.

Why do we need such a life-changing event

To make us realise what we have,

How lucky we are,

To force us to use what time we have left.

We only have one life, one chance

Don’t fuck it up!

Our second story is about an inter-faith collaboration in Bradford. By pure chance a group of Muslims are helping a minute Jewish community in Bradford to renovate their synagogue. The Muslim leader says that really getting to know people of another faith is the way forward. They now share Ramadan feasts, Harvest Festivals with Christians and the evening meal before the Sabbath with the Jews. Please go to the Guardian and enter "Bradford synagogue saved by city's Muslims."


We personally share the sentiments of these two articles. Having faced adversity ourselves and by being shown the hand of friendship from French people in all aspects of life.


We wish you a very Happy Christmas and hope that you also will take a crumb of inspiration from these articles and if so we can take a lot of hope into the New Year.