Richard Baum

A great day for Bury today, as the Borough celebrated some of its most successful citizens by bestowing the Freedom of the Borough on them.

First up Zoe Robinson, Paralympic gold medallist, whose achievements in Beijing made front page news and whose sporting success has been a great credit to Bury.

Next were the band “Elbow,” who finally hit the commercial big-time this year with their album “The Seldom Seen Kid.” After years of critical acclaim but slow-burning sales, they got their just rewards this time round with the Mercury Music Prize and now the Freedom of the Borough to go with it.

And finally, perhaps the biggest star of all, the film director Danny Boyle. His movie “Slumdog Millionaire” swept the boards at the Academy Awards, picking up 8 Oscars. Truly an achievement of global scale. And a cracking film to boot!

Unfortunately I couldn’t make the ceremony itself, because I was at work (in fact, at a meeting at Tameside Hospital at the time…). I was pretty gutted actually because it would have been a privilege to meet all of the recipients. I even bought the “Slumdog” soundtrack the other day in preparation. But, alas, it was not to be.

I have come home now to attempt to get over the disappointment by watching the Newcastle game on Sky. Unfortunately I have discovered that it’s on Setanta, a channel I haven’t subscribed to. I am so annoyed by this that at the moment I discovered the wretched news I almost inflicted permanent damage to the TV screen. Competition is all well and good, but how can it be better for football fans when now we all have to subscribe to two channels to get all the good games?! Grr…

Rick