Gary Strachan – "Write" Said Fred
Whimsical observations from deep within an erratic mind
It was a Saturday lunchtime. Two bearded men, both scarlet of face, both baring ready smiles stand outside a Wakefield charity shop. One man adorns a red suit/hat with white fur edging: his facial hair a similar albumen coloured hue. The other fella also standing adjacent to Santa’s outdoor grotto dons a khaki Superdry branded... Continue Reading →
I'm accompanied by the orchestral caterwauling of various workmen outside of my apartment as I commence this journal. The culprits of this disagreeable soundscape a bunch of high visibility vested fellas seemingly intent on distracting me from the literary task at hand... Well, if truth be told, although these highlighter pen lookalikes are quite vocal,... Continue Reading →
On Friday lunchtime I stood proudly as part of a voluntary team collecting on behalf of 2022's Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal. My second voluntary role of the year (I'd undertaken a similar role the previous week) a brio augmenting episode made even more worthwhile by the magnanimous patrons of Morrisons supermarket, Morley. I've not... Continue Reading →
This morning it was great to be back on the metaphorical saddle of the metaphorical horse called Collecting For MacMillan. It's been eighteen long months since GJ Strachan's last experienced the vim boost borne from undertaking voluntary work, and I've missed it enormously. COVID blocking off another uplifting avenue to further mess with my strained... Continue Reading →
Adhering to an old adage that 'the early bird catches the worm', yesterday East Leeds Marie Curie (MC) fundraising group arrived at Rothwell Park at 08.30am. Our metaphorical worm the securing of a prime location near the carnival entrance to hopefully enhance our tombola stall's visibility to festival goers when gates opened at 11am. The groups... Continue Reading →
On Friday I began a voluntary role where for a few hours a week I'll act as social media administrator for a charitable group. My task entailing sporadic monitoring of newly created Twitter and Facebook accounts for the East Leeds Marie Curie fundraising group. These accounts manifesting from a desire to raise the profile of... Continue Reading →
Teaming rainfall ensured the team of MacMillan volunteer marshals at the Yorkshire Marathon, of which I was a member, received a thorough soaking this morning...... Perhaps, there's something in the old adage 'no good deed goes unpunished' after all. Although, I somehow doubt it! To steal a quote oft utilised by an old acquaintance, who... Continue Reading →
Unless they introduce a 'Best Performance Stood In A Green T-Shirt With A Collection Bucket in M&S' category, it's an event that's unlikely to secure me a BAFTA nomination. Nevertheless, I thought I'd make you, my discerning reader, aware that brief clips of an interview I did with a 'Made in Leeds' TV reporter are... Continue Reading →
Yesterday saw many thousands of people in the UK facilitating or attending World's Greatest Coffee Morning fundraising events in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support. As part of this campaign, my lunchtime was spent undertaking a bucket collection at the Marks & Spencer (M&S) store on Briggate, in Leeds..... To clarify, when I wrote 'bucket collection'... Continue Reading →