Thank you to all those in the pink!

I AM writing to thank all of the 259 brilliant fundraisers in Newcastle for joining us and taking part in Wear It Pink this year. Wear it pink, Breast Cancer Now’s flagship fundraiser, takes place every year during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, to raise money for vital breast cancer research. LOTTIE BARNDEN

Wear It Pink BY perfecting many mental contortions, One could write a poem of epic proportions Ten years is really an awful long time, To write about - let alone rhyme. Let us start the ball rolling with Uncle Sam, Who withdrew his troops from South Vietnam And finally called a halt to the war That had lingered on like a festering sore. The Cod War fought beneath Northern Lights When Iceland asserted territorial rights, Trawlers and gunboats in confrontation To put more fish in the plates of our nation. “Voyager” endlessly tracking through space, Millions of miles from its starting place Transmitting photographs of marvellous things, Such as Jupiter’s spot and Saturn rings. Esso Northumbria sailed out to sea Before a massive audience and it was free Though many a motorist felt a fool When his car got no nearer than Whitemare Pool. “Howay the Lads” from President Carter, Gave the Northern Visit an interesting starter His smiles and handshakes impressed - not least The warm-hearted ladies of the North East. “73” and Sunderland are Wembley bound And suddenly a Messiah was found Bob Stokoe - with coat tails flying To embrace Montgomery - who I think was crying. Mohammed Ali arrived in an open car, To wed in a mosque - to which he’d travelled far Dancers on stilts at Gypsies Green On a grey summer’s day - watched by the Queen. The summer which roasted our seaside town, And turned Cleadon Hills a horrible brown The Arctic winter - snow 15ft deep Stranded many motorists and buried sheep. The voice of the Ripper was heard in pubs, Factory canteens and working men’s clubs His ghastly prophecy cut like a knife, And another victim paid with her life. Boat people adrift in their cockleshell crafts, Sailing Asian water in junks and rafts Found sanctuary lacking in crowded Hong Kong Surely humanity can right this wrong? And sadly to Consett - where British Steel, Applied the axe and how sorry we feel. Put the decade behind us - let everyone say, I’ll try and be more tolerant every day We sail into the age of the silicon chip, Let us hope God’s hand is guiding the ship.

G BRADSHAW