- Whitechapel Middle prepare to cheer on Mr Pickles (not shown to spare his blushes)
I’m going to stop doing school visits. I have to, or I’ll end up returning to teaching and then I’ll never get my Girls FC series finished. The two schools Tom and I met today were smashing and I haven’t missed being a teacher so much in ages. I don’t know whether it was because we were in an atmospheric building – Cleckheaton Library is pretty special with a domed central area letting in lots of light, brown polished tile walls and wooden cornices over doorways – or because both times the teachers were enthusiastic and chatty and obviously got on with the kids – or whether it was because these particular Y5s were more friendly than average (despite there being far too few Town supporters among them) but both sessions were awesome. I learned something new, too. The legend who is Morgan Coles introduced me to the world of a pinky swear. Isn’t that the best term for a promise? Maybe everyone knows what a pinky swear is but it’s the first time I heard of it and I’m going to use it in a book as soon as possible. Cheers, Morgan! Adam Jubb added the ankle lock which is the same thing only with ankles instead of pinkies. As if that wasn’t enough riches for one day Ben Ruddlesden (yesterday’s librarian-cum-keeper who was rested on the bench today) gave me - me - a KS Cracovia replica shirt to keep. How utterly brilliant is that? Ben, you are now in my top twenty of all time fave librarians ever and I’m not even kidding. A huge thanks to all the staff at Kirklees Library Services – Dianne, Ben and Fiona – for organizing the visits and making us feel so welcome and three cheers for everyone at Whitechapel and West End Middle Schools. Brillo.
- Mathew, the West End Wonder
- Scott takes the trophy for Whitechapel
- West End Middle
