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Six nations Rugby

International Rugby is again going to dominate our weekends with the start of the Six- Nations.  The phrase ‘Six-nations’ does not trip easily from the tongue, having been used for years to referring to the ‘Five-nations’ of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales plus France.  However with the addition of Italy in 1999 there were six.

For England, the tournament will be a challenge as they are in transition.  It is just over a year since the World Cup triumph but already England are on their third captain – following the retirement of Martin Johnson and Lawrence Dallaglio. As Lady Windermere might have said, to lose one captain is unfortunate.  To lose two, seems careless! Then there is also the small matter of Sir Clive Woodward’s resignation as England coach 

All of this makes for a more open competition for some time.  Individual players too will be trying to catch the eye of the selectors of the British and Irish Lions party for the summer tour. 

Adrian Davies played nine times for Wales in the 90s, mainly as outside half, something that was both a great privilege and an immense responsibility. “While growing up I was probably one of thousands of children across the length and breadth of Wales whose dream was to become a future Welsh outside half - to follow in the steps of national legends like Cliff Morgan, Barry John or Phil Bennett.  I count myself extremely fortunate to have been able to realise that dream.

‘The Welsh public has a fanatical obsession with the number 10 shirt and it is usually at the number 10's door where either euphoric adulation or the brunt of the criticism is fielded following a Welsh performance”.

Adrian played his career as a Christian, having been challenged by something that happened when he was 17.  He recalls, “In human terms I had absolutely everything.  I had passed my ‘O’ levels, I had played football and rugby for Wales.  I had a pretty girl friend.  Yet I knew there was something more.  Then one Sunday a girl that I had known for a long time spoke at church.  From the outside she had achieved nothing like I had.  That Sunday she stood up at the front of the church and said, ‘I have decided to follow Jesus and for him to be at the centre of my life from now on.’  She looked so happy.  I realised that I didn’t have that presence of Christ in my life.  I knew I had to face the issue and shortly after that, I became a Christian.  That is how I made the decision for myself.”  

Adrian toured with Wales, played in the 1995 World Cup but ironically not in the Five-nations.  “I played nine times for Wales, but never played more than two games in a row.  This was partly because of changing coaches and perhaps the influence of the media. The great Welsh disasters, 63-6 in Australia and the first ever defeat by Canada, were two games I might have been better to miss.”

And where is God in all this?  “I sometimes wonder why God gave me this talent - and there's no doubt that my talent came to light on a number of occasions – but never allowed me to perform to the level I know that I am capable of.  For whatever reason it did not happen.  I have no real answers.  Having put the effort in for so many years, finally you get the chance and it doesn't happen for you on the day.  It's not that I think about it every day and become frustrated, but sometimes looking back, I can't help thinking what might have been.”

Watch out for doorstep cheats

Police forces throughout the country are urging the public to help them catch the plausible rogues who con their way into homes and rob or defraud thousands of people every year. Many of their victims are elderly.

Doorstep cheats come mainly in two forms. Perhaps the most heartless are what the police call distraction burglars. They don’t break in or climb through a window, but come to the front door and offer a plausible excuse to gain entry, either asking a favour or claiming to be from a public utility “checking” something. Once inside, they distract the householder and quickly help themselves to cash or valuables (and they know all the usual hiding places). Sometimes they can be violent.

The new Doorstoppers Campaign uses the simple slogan ‘Say No to Doorstep Callers’. Some police forces and Neighbourhood Watch schemes can supply a card which a vulnerable householder, having used their door chain, can show a caller. It will say something like “I do not recognise you. Please go to Number 7 who is my nominated neighbour. They will check your identity and return with you”.

But there may be times when the caller offers a legitimate service or product you may need. In such cases, it is useful to know your rights under trading standards legislation.

When the visit was unsolicited, or followed an unsolicited telephone call, and if the goods or services cost more than £35, you are entitled to change your mind within seven days. If you are not warned of this right, the contract is unenforceable and an offence may have been committed under consumer protection regulations. You should not pay but make contact with your local Trading Standards Office.

It is also an offence to include in documents a statement that restricts consumer rights, such as ‘no refunds’ or ‘bought as seen’. Any false claims are covered by the Trade Descriptions Act and making them is an offence. This includes falsely claiming that goods were made by (or the sale will benefit) blind or disabled people.

Some councils even offer free locks and home safety equipment to elderly or disabled persons. Some also offer a low-cost service to carry out minor repairs or odd jobs. For further information, contact the local branch of Age Concern or the Crime Prevention Officer at your nearest police station.

How likely are you to win the National Lottery?

Over the past ten years life in Britain has been transformed by one major new institution – the National Lottery. Some see it as nothing more than a harmless flutter or as a way of giving to good causes, but others may be addicted and causing all sorts of problems to the people they love.

Even the Managing Director of Camelot, Dianne Thompson, acknowledges that no-one really buys a lottery ticket as a means of giving to good causes. Only twenty-eight percent of income raised is used in this way – with only seven per cent actually going to charities. No - people want to win the big prize and so they dream greedily as to what they would do with the winnings.

Let’s have a look for a minute at the reality of this. In the ten years the lottery has been running there have been around seventeen hundred millionaires created. The odds of winning the jackpot are in fact around fourteen million to one. Putting this in to perspective:

You are seven times more likely to be struck by lightning

It is the equivalent of choosing one hundred and forty paperbacks and then selecting the right book, chapter, page, line, word then letter before the odds are harder than winning the jackpot

If you buy a ticket on a Monday you are more likely to die before the Saturday draw than you are to win [so whatever you do don’t buy your tickets on a Monday!]

A leading book-maker believes that it is more likely that Elvis will land a UFO on the Loch Ness monster’s head!

This all may seem funny, but sadly there is a much darker side to it. Many people now are gambling who never did before the lottery came into existence and this in itself is leading to a whole new range of gambling proposals including the opening up of new super-casinos across the country.

The lottery is also in effect a tax on the most desperate members of our society. Figures show that it doesn’t matter whether you are a millionaire or unemployed you are still likely to be spending the same amount on tickets – but in percentage of income terms there is a huge difference. Nearly everyone will have lost some thing in the region of £2000 plus – money that many people really desperately need to make ends meet.

We will be looking at the false hope that the lottery generates in future articles.

Keith Tondeur is head of Credit Action.

Look ahead to 2005 in your community

What’s on – dates for your diary   Ring or visit your local Tourist Board and ask about what is coming in 2005 as far as your local interest spots are concerned: 

theatres, exhibitions, concerts, art galleries, stately homes, gardens, other attractions:  donkey sanctuaries, model railways, classic car rallies, etc!

If any are actually within your parish boundaries, consider doing an interview with someone who works in one of these places.  The manager of your local theatre, perhaps, or the person who run your local art gallery? 

Get key local people to comment on local issues.   Approach the office of your local MP, and ask if he/she would write a short article on what they think are the main issues currently facing the constituency.  What are they most happy about this past year, and what do they hope to tackle – and change for the better – this year?  You may want to offer to ‘syndicate’ the feature, so that other churches could consider running it.

The aim is NOT to push any particular line of politics, simply to recognise that your MP, of whatever party, is your MP, and therefore has a right to speak in public about local issues.

Civil obedience!   Ring your local police station.  Is there any particular message concerning, say, public safety or warnings about robberies or whatever that they would like to give your readers?  Were they pleased or concerned at local crime figures this past year?

Or is there a local officer assigned to your parish?  Would it be helpful to interview this officer, and thus introduce them to your readers?  Is he/she a local person?  What do they like about the area?  What don’t they much like?  How would they like to work with local people to make the parish a safer place?

Volunteers needed?   Ring your reference library and ask for a list of local active charities.  Ring round and ask if they need any special help this year.  You might include your local charity shops, who often need volunteers.  Or local animal sanctuaries.   Or your local hospital – do they need volunteers?

Local council Ring your local council’s press office.  Are there any major building or road-works taking place in or near your parish this year?  Would it be helpful to warn your readers now of the disruption to come?!

Local media Ring your local paper.  Or radio station! Why not turn the tables and ask to do an interview with the local reporter who habitually covers your patch!  Or invite them to write a short feature introducing themselves, and sharing with readers what is like to work on the local paper:  ‘A week in my life’!  Or go and ask the editor what sort of stories he would like from you this coming year.

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