Article For Folkestone Herald and Kentish Express

2 June 2005

I know that many of you derived as much pleasure from Liverpool’s amazing victory in the Champions League last week as I did. I am a lifelong Liverpool fan but even I would not have given much for our chances when we were 3-0 down at halftime.

The recovery was truly amazing. It was an example which could be followed in every walk of life. The lessons of persistence, effort, belief in the face of adversity can be taken to heart by us all.

And it was in precisely these terms that the match was referred to at both school openings I attended on Friday. The first was as the new St Augustine’s Catholic Primary School at St John’s Road, Hythe. The second was to open the new buildings at Sellindge Primary School.

Both were very happy events and both are schools we can be proud of.

Earlier on Friday I visited the Hawkinge Under Fives Pre-School at St Luke’s Church Hall. I was able to see the children prepare some very healthy food for their meal. Given the amount of publicity which we have seen recently about the need for healthy meals at school there must be everything to be said for starting young. So I was much encouraged by what I saw.

Later that day I was delighted to be able to present Shepway Care and Repair with its newly won Quality Award. Of course there is never enough money to do all that is needed in this field but it is good to know that what is being done locally is being done well.

The one question mark lies over the way in which the money, much of which comes from central government, is being made available. I was told that problems remain in the lack of co-ordination between the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and other government departments. And I thought we were supposed to have joined-up government …