On February 23rd it was Rotary International’s birthday. It also saw the ongoing Thanks for Life / End Polio campaign here in the UK. The target is to raise more then £1 million pounds towards the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation challenge grant. Their organisation has donated US$355 million and Rotary will match it by US$200. I did a tour of the BBC news offices to help in the awareness campaign. This is an extract from BBC Radio 5 live interview which took place on February 21 st 2010. Other alliance members for the Global Polio Eradication Initiative are UNICEF, WHO and the US Centres for Disease control and prevention.
02
Mar
The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation’s oldest and largest public affairs forum, bringing together its more than 18,000 members for over 400 annual events on topics ranging across politics, culture, society and the economy.
A very interesting interview with Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger
to read the full article click here or the image below….
19
Dec
NDTV India footage of full circle exhibition in Kolkata with Gautam Lewis, 4th December 2009.
Various news footage of Full Circle Photographic show, Kolkata, India Nov-Dec 2009
A 30 mins current affairs discussion show with Moupia interviewing Gautam Lewis in West Bengal called Spotlight. The show is broadcast on 24 Ghanta – a 24 hour news channel. The areas of discussion include Full Circle exhibition to raise awareness for polio eradication and flying.
Imagine starting life with polio in a Calcutta orphanage but growing up to work amidst the glamour of the British music industry.
It seems unlikely, but Gautam Lewis is a man who did just that. After leaving Calcutta he built a new life and career managing high profile and controversial artists, including Keith Flint from the Prodigy, and the Libertines and Pete Doherty .
However he felt his talents could be put to better use and decided to leave the music industry and return to Calcutta to help in the fight against polio.
As part of India’s polio immunisation campaign, he has been using his own experiences to try to change attitudes by visiting parents reluctant to immunise their children.
Now he says his life has come “ full circle” – a name he has also given to his new exhibition in Calcutta of photographs of polio sufferers which he hopes will help raise awareness .
Matthew Bannister spoke to Gautam Lewis and asked him to describe his “ full circle” journey - from Calcutta to the UK and back again, and learning to fly along the way.
Click on the image to read the full article.
We are very proud of our Patron, Suzi Duncan
Australian Queen’s Birthday Honours recipient Suzi said that revelation 19 years ago prompted her to want to share the experience with others.
She received this great honour for service to people with a disability, particularly through the Wheelies with Wings
program,and to the community. In 2003 she achieved her dream and founded Wheelies with Wings which has now helped 48 people with disabilities learn to fly in Australia.
In the Australian honours system appointments to the Order of Australia confer recognition for outstanding achievement and service. The Medal of the Order of Australia is awarded for service worthy of particular recognition. Recipients of the Order of Australia are from many fields of endeavour and all walks of life.
read the full article about her award in The Herald, Australia
- Airmanship (15)
- Ambassadors of FITA (3)
- Aviation Without Borders (11)
- Comedy (7)
- Disability news (88)
- Exams (11)
- Facts (1)
- Film (54)
- freedom podcast (10)
- Freedom Wings (9)
- Fun Flying (32)
- Good causes (65)
- Ground School (36)
- Hand Controls (15)
- History (17)
- images (42)
- inspiring (28)
- Ipod section (5)
- Media (73)
- Merchandise (1)
- Music (11)
- Patrons and Ambassadors (4)
- People (32)
- Pilot in Command (8)
- Pioneers (25)
- Plane trips (36)
- PPL Training (54)
- Questions in the air (9)
- Random (12)
- Rotary International (27)
- Smiling Wings (9)
- Survey (1)
- Uncategorised (12)
- Uncategorized (1)
