Sunday, July 15, 2007

IN THE BLAIR CHAIR


FORMER Prime Minister Tony Blair has no doubt left a lasting legacy during a decade in the hot seat.

Mr Blair has made tough decisions during his three terms in office and chaired challenging Cabinet meetings.

His work included the controversial decision to go to war in Iraq, constitutional reforms for Scotland and Wales, and a raft of domestic policies.

Now a Furness charity worker has had a glimpse of what it’s like being in Mr Blair’s shoes.

Retired Ulverston shopkeeper Christine Adams felt like she was PM for a day when she sat in the hot seat occupied by Mr Blair.

Mrs Adams, from Birkett Drive, also got the chance to meet Cherie Blair, wife of the Prime Minister, two weeks before her husband handed over the reins of power to Gordon Brown.

The 67-year-old grandmother is a member of a local branch of Speakability, a self help charity group which covers South Lakes, and is based in Kendal.

Speakability is involved with helping the quarter of a million people in the UK who suffer from “aphasia”, a condition which affects victims of strokes, head injuries or other neurological conditions.

And Mrs Adams was one of two members of the group lucky enough to go No 10 and raise the profile of Speakability with Cherie Blair.

Mrs Adams said: “Although we meet in Kendal we have members from all over the South Lakes. In fact our chairman, Fred Hammond, lives in Flass Lane, Barrow, and I live on Birkett Drive, in Ulverston.

“It was my speech therapist who put me in touch with them, when I had a brain aneurism and it was such a help to me I have stayed with them.

“Speakability relies on donations and we had collections in Booths’ supermarket in Windermere and Morrisons’ store in Kendal where we raised over a thousand pounds.

“Janet Rockliffe, the branch secretary, and I were lucky enough to be chosen to visit No 10 Downing Street. Names were drawn out of a hat and 45 people, including myself, were chosen.

“We were first taken through the main gate, where we had to go through security and were allowed to take photographs outside No 10. We went in three at a time to meet Cherie Blair and Lady Wilson, Harold Wilson’s widow, Mary. Cherie spoke to each of us and she was very nice. She was especially interested in Speakability as Tony’s father has aphasia and Tony is a vice-president of the charity. Cherie then came in and addressed everyone.

“We were able to look around the rooms, the dining room and the Cabinet Office where I sat in Tony Blair’s chair, and for a couple of minutes thought I was the Prime Minister!”

* Cherie Blair is featured on The Real Cherie Blair, on BBC One at 9pm tonight.
FORMER Prime Minister Tony Blair has no doubt left a lasting legacy during a decade in the hot seat.

Mr Blair has made tough decisions during his three terms in office and chaired challenging Cabinet meetings.

His work included the controversial decision to go to war in Iraq, constitutional reforms for Scotland and Wales, and a raft of domestic policies.

Now a Furness charity worker has had a glimpse of what it’s like being in Mr Blair’s shoes.

Retired Ulverston shopkeeper Christine Adams felt like she was PM for a day when she sat in the hot seat occupied by Mr Blair.

Mrs Adams, from Birkett Drive, also got the chance to meet Cherie Blair, wife of the Prime Minister, two weeks before her husband handed over the reins of power to Gordon Brown.

The 67-year-old grandmother is a member of a local branch of Speakability, a self help charity group which covers South Lakes, and is based in Kendal.

Speakability is involved with helping the quarter of a million people in the UK who suffer from “aphasia”, a condition which affects victims of strokes, head injuries or other neurological conditions.

And Mrs Adams was one of two members of the group lucky enough to go No 10 and raise the profile of Speakability with Cherie Blair.

Mrs Adams said: “Although we meet in Kendal we have members from all over the South Lakes. In fact our chairman, Fred Hammond, lives in Flass Lane, Barrow, and I live on Birkett Drive, in Ulverston.

“It was my speech therapist who put me in touch with them, when I had a brain aneurism and it was such a help to me I have stayed with them.

“Speakability relies on donations and we had collections in Booths’ supermarket in Windermere and Morrisons’ store in Kendal where we raised over a thousand pounds.

“Janet Rockliffe, the branch secretary, and I were lucky enough to be chosen to visit No 10 Downing Street. Names were drawn out of a hat and 45 people, including myself, were chosen.

“We were first taken through the main gate, where we had to go through security and were allowed to take photographs outside No 10. We went in three at a time to meet Cherie Blair and Lady Wilson, Harold Wilson’s widow, Mary. Cherie spoke to each of us and she was very nice. She was especially interested in Speakability as Tony’s father has aphasia and Tony is a vice-president of the charity. Cherie then came in and addressed everyone.

“We were able to look around the rooms, the dining room and the Cabinet Office where I sat in Tony Blair’s chair, and for a couple of minutes thought I was the Prime Minister!”

* Cherie Blair is featured on The Real Cherie Blair, on BBC One at 9pm tonight.

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