Winchester Cathedral

Winchester has got a HUGE cathedral. It costs in excess of £2 million a year to keep it in good condition, so the fundraising activities to do this are extensive. For the second year running there has been an Ice Rink in the Catherdral Close, and a lot of fun being had by all.

A trawl around the website www.winchester-cathedral.co.uk turns up many other interesting facts. There are over 600 volunteers working for the Cathedral, and if you want, you can volunteer to become a ‘Holy Duster’. The crypt, which currently houses a sculpture by Anthony Gormely floods so the water laps the sculpture’s toes. The latest ‘News’ includes an interesting discussion of the use and make-up of incense http://www.winchester-cathedral.org.uk/new/community/1/

There is a major choral tradition here, and the music is beautiful. I recently attended one of the carol concerts and it was fantastic. One of the plus points of being a resident is that I can get a year’s pass into the building to explore at will without paying the tourist entry rates, or to sometimes just stop and sit.

NLP Master

I’ve just completed my Master’s qualification in NLP with Pegasus www.nlp-now.co.uk - whey-hey! I’m really pleased. A tough course which has added immeasurably to my skills and techniques tool-kit.

Part of the qualification is a modelling project, and I chose how to dock a motorboat. In common with many racing sailors, my seamanship skills are not so sharp and I really admire the skill and panache shown by people who often make their living the water.

The Boatmen from the Royal Lymington Yacht Club www.rlymyc.co.uk and Mike Morgan, a self-employed powerboat trainer along with his son Tom all gave me the benefit of their awesome skills and experience. I learnt so much, and they helped me to prepare a great project. My thanks to them all.