Page 9 - Phonebox Magazine June 2006

Dear Editor
Dear Editor
Thank you from a happy marathon runner
I would like to say a big thank you to everybody who so kindly sponsored me following the completion of the London Marathon. So far I have raised £4,500 for ‘Action for Sick Children’ which is by far more than I ever expected. I feel totally overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of people. I never would have dreamed that the idea to run the London Marathon would become reality.
The London Marathon – it was an experience! It was a brilliant day, although I did find the last five to six miles hard going. The crowd was fantastic, cheering us up when the going was tough. Despite all my training, running the 26.2 miles was harder than I thought but I finished and did it in 4.45.46 hours.
It was wonderful to see the Cutty Sark (this was the only place I saw my family), Tower Bridge and then running along the Embankment towards Buckingham Palace. The atmosphere along those places was ecstatic.
It all seems like a dream now. I am glad to say that I did not suffer any blisters nor any other injuries. I had to walk some of the way as I felt sick (must have been the jelly babies people handed out!).
Throughout the training and on the day itself I felt so grateful that my body held out to this challenge. The many hours I ran on my own in the wet and gloomy weather was all worth it at the end and I have to admit – I miss this discipline. I spent so many hours on my own thinking, meditating, singing and praying that I actually miss this time.
To complete this significant event I would now like to see the work starting on the cubicles on the children’s ward in Milton Keynes Hospital – hopefully it won’t be too long before it will happen.
Many thanks again.
Ursula Galeb, Newport Pagnell
I write with reference to an article in your May edition of the Phonebox. The piece in question was the Police Report section of the Olney Town council meeting which stated by our Mayor that “they had abandoned their regular meetings due to lack of interest by the general public and that she observed that last year’s meeting had been poorly attended and the questions had been about SUCH MUNDANE issues as parking.”
How dare someone who, in a position like this, supposedly acting for the Town, make such a remark about other peoples problems. If you are experiencing problems where an ambulance or fire engine could not get through your road then it is a big issue. I attended this meeting and the police etc. promised to look into these problems and do something about it. To my knowledge nothing has been done or at least nothing is any better. This is also, to my knowledge, a lot of the problems with people not attending as the general feeling is it is not worth bothering, nobody pays any attention to the public’s comments or problems anyway. This instance proves them right. You can go round Olney at any time and see loads of cars parking on pavements, around school time the cars are parking everywhere causing problems even on the zig zag lines outside the middle school.
When the new school does eventually open there will be big problems as parents park for pick up as the road is not wide enough for two lane traffic if somebody is parked, this happens now at the bottom end where parents park for the middle school. I have never written like this before but feel very strongly that someone in such a position should make a remark about other people’s problems. It may be mundane to her but is very important if it affects you.
Olney resident
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Phonebox Magazine 9