PLEASE vote for me

When I was first nominated in The Milton Keynes Inspirational Awards Programme I felt deeply honoured. I wanted to get through to the final, of course I did, but the honour was being nominated and that alone was enough for me.

When the finalists were announced I could not believe that I had been nominated and received enough nominations to go through to the final in not one but two categories: The Most Inspirational Father and the Most

Inspirational Man.

While I did ask friends to vote for me I did not want to make a big fuss of this, it felt wrong, but now I am going to canvas hard for your vote. ANYONE can vote, you do not need to be a resident of Milton Keynes, so will you please vote for me as The Most Inspirational Father and the Most Inspirational Man.

I am not asking for your votes for my own ego or self gratification but to place me in a position where being the award holder can do something very positive for other people. You can vote by CLICKING HERE

TWO things happened yesterday. TWO TINGS which have brought me to the point of asking for your votes. TWO THINGS. One was beautiful and lovely. One was bad and very upsetting.

Josh Morgan collapsed in Milton Keynes Shopping Centre yesterday. Paramedics were called and he was taken to the hospital.  He was found to be dehydrated and in need of food. The doctors were kind but said he needed to take better care of himself.

Josh has a major role to play in Sunshine Smile Day on

Saturday but may be unable to attend as his health may prevent it.

Josh has been battling with the benefits agency to claim his entitlement but while the wheels of failing bureaucracy grind slowly he has no money.  His wife Jelena has found employment but it will be a month before they see any money.

These are two beautiful people who so many of you have taken to your hearts.

A month ago, Thursday 19th April, I managed to get different departments at Milton Keynes Council to sit down together and understand that helping a homeless couple needed more than just putting a temporary roof over their heads. At that meeting Josh and Jelena were given a £20 food voucher each. How much do you spend a week on food ?  Milton Keynes Council thought £20 would last them indefinitely !

At Sunshine Smile Day we are asking people to donate ONE THOUSAND tins for Milton Keynes Food Bank.

Four times I have emailed The Food Bank about Sunshine Smile Day.  FOUR TIMES The Food Bank has failed to respond. I wrote to The Food Bank and asked for help for Josh and Jelena. The Food Bank FAILED to respond. Instead Josh ended up being taken to hospital.

I contacted Milton Keynes Council explained that the £20 food vouchers had been spent and Josh and Jelena were hungry !  Milton Keynes Council FAILED to respond.

With Josh safely home from hospital I door stepped Milton Keynes Council asking for help. The council refused to deal

with me. I brought in Jelena and the red tape was put in the way of her being able to get a food voucher for Josh. The council insisted on seeing two months bank statements from Jelena.  She was sent to her bank to get statements. This she did. When she returned to the council she was told the office closed three minutes ago so Josh could go hungry in his bed overnight !

What kind of council employee could walk out of their office knowing the situation was pending and go home. I hope they enjoyed their evening meal and slept well in their bed !

In my opinion our city will NEVER solve its homeless situation with the present system, both local authority and voluntary sector, in place.

If I can win enough votes to become Milton Keynes Most Inspirational Man I can use the title to inspire people to bring about change and bring new hope to the most vulnerable people in society. Will you help me ?         

Will you vote for me ? You can vote by CLICKING HERE

That was the BAD part of yesterday. That was how my day

ended but it began with something so lovely and so beautiful.

I only have two thumbs but yesterday morning all TEN were giving the UP sign.

I met a lady who inspired me.

Let me introduce you to Jo. The Head of Leon School. To give her, her proper title Doctor Jo Taverna Principal of The Sir Herbert Leon Academy.  She introduced herself to me as Jo and I find it hard to call the school anything but Leon.

What an absolutely incredible lady. How fortunate Leon School is to have her as its head.  Her attitude towards education and more importantly the students involved is EXACTLY the same as my own.  I thought education had been kicked out the window years ago to be replaced by schooling. NOT SO AT LEON SCHOOL.

It is more than twenty years since I was head of year at Leon School.  I never stop telling people how proud I am to be in contact with with so many former students, my LEONITES. It was my leonites who nominated me in the inspirational awards.

I walked into Sir Herbert Leon Academy with a negative

attitude. Negativity ended the moment Jo shook my hand. I was home in that wonderful school which meant so much to us all.

Jo wants me to get the LEONITES to inspire the current generation of students.

Yesterday Leonite Rachel, who is in charge of Sunshine Smile Day, was sitting in my home chatting over arrangements for tomorrow when the door bell rang. It was a LEONITE with a bag of gifts for the music tombola.

Sunshine Smile Day could not be happening if it were not for the LEONITES. Once the examination season is over Jo and I will sit down and work out what we can do to help inspire the lovely teenagers in today's school.  I just know you will all race forward to be part of this.

You can vote  for me in the Milton Keynes Inspirational Awards by CLICKING HERE  Let's use the awards not for glory but to do something beautiful, lovely and positive for today's LEONITES.