My Video of the Fire

I can’t believe that my video made the front page of the UK youtube news section. I seem to have got more viewers than the BBC’s coverage.

I also got an e-mail from the fire investigation team asking me to contact them about the video. That’s something I will have to do tomorrow morning.

Fire at the Royal Marsden Hospital

There I was sitting at my desk, eating my steak and cheese subway, when there was a faint BBQ smell. However, the smell got stronger, and then when I looked out the window, I saw this…..



At first, I didn’t realise how bad things were going to become, and also, I didn’t realise that we were just about to be involved in the top news story of the day. The evacuation was so calm, and in a way, you felt quite distant from what was going on, just metres from where we were walking.


It wasn’t until we were outside, and we could see reflections of the flames in the windows of buildings around the hospital. In the end it took over 100 fire-fighters to put out the blaze, and the building where the fire started is now without a roof. I just hope the damage is not as bad as it looks on the television. I am sure we will find out in the next couple of days.

Happy New Year

2007 has been a strange old year. It has had many ups and downs, and as such it’s not been the best. The biggest thing to happen to me this year, was that after nearly 20 years, I managed to have enough courage to leave BT. I didn’t realise how much stress I was under there, and what a weight lifted from my shoulders when I left. I had seven weeks out, and got an offer for a temporary job from a friend. The pay’s not the greatest, but I am now working with a great group of people, and I no longer dread going to work in the morning.

While all that was happening, we lost Bert. He died of a heart attack in October, while on holiday. Off course I am sad that he is no longer here, and I do miss him, but I can’t help thinking what great timing. He had just been out for a lovely day, and had his favourite steak dinner.

Today, I have been thinking a lot about the coming new year. I want to get back to taking pictures. The idea behind this blog, was to encourage me to take pictures. I must admit, one of the disappointments of 2007, especially the last few months, is that I have not really held the camera in anger. I want that to change, as I miss going out and about.

More Latkes

Latkes for our family are a Boxing Day tradition. I suppose as a link to our Jewish roots, and the celebration of Hanukkah. More often than not both Hanukkah and Christmas full at the same time, although not in 2007. Latkes are a great accompaniment to cold Turkey from the day before.

Here is a more abstract look at one of my favourite foods……

Merry Christmas

I hope everyone who reads this has a great Christmas, and gets everything that they wished for.

Keep Santa Fat Campaign Hits the Papers

The keep Santa fat campaign was a bit of fun to help Dan’s agency in the States to get some publicity and a fun way to share Christmas with their clients. However, it seems to have hit a nerve around the World. Apparently, people from 59 different countries so far have visited the web-site, they have had coverage on ABC News in the States and now I was asked to be interviewed for one of our newspapers. So here I am mentioned in the Sunday Telegraph

Keep Santa Fat

In response to the news that Bluewater Shopping Centre were holding a “boot camp” to help get their Santa’s fit, my friend in Oregon, who works for an advertising agency, are starting a campaign to keep Santa fat. Its only a bit of fun, and is to raise money for America’s Second Harvest charity. To make it look like the campaign has worldwide support, I was asked to take some pictures of their logo in London.