A few years ago, when I was working in Ghana, I visited a village way up in the hills, a happy bunch of people living in poor conditions, scraping a bare living.

What amazed me, was the fact that they were not taking any advantage from the fertile soil, or making any effort to better their lives.

When I asked my guide ‘why were the young fit men not farming the land, improving the roads and their huts, his answer astounded me.

‘Well Margo, you see missionaries taught them that the Lord will provide, and not that the Lord helps those who help themselves’.

And that’s happening over here – we are ‘helping’ people to such an extent that we are robbing them of self-motivation and so condemning them to a way of life that is so difficult to get out of.

Obviously people must be helped, but shouldn’t the benefits one way or another be earned.

I WANT the area to show some recognition for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. We all should be making an effort to celebrate Her Majesty’s 60 years of duty and devotion.

It’s a poor do if we don’t do all we can for this special occasion.

St George’s Society is to plant a tree in the Cathedral grounds with a suitably engraved plaque to commemorate Her Majesty’s special day.

It is also planning a Blackburn Big Sing in front of the Town Hall on Saturday June 2 accompanied, hopefully, by the Blackburn Salvation Army, schools and other local bands.

I hope you’ll make an effort to come along and join in.

A really great St George’s Day service was held at Blackburn Cathedral on Sunday, and a big thank you to Thwaites who generously funded this special occasion.

Last week whilst chatting to an after-dinner speaker, I asked his most embarrassing moment, he said it was when ‘when speaking to inmates in a large prison, my opening sentence was 'let me say how pleased I am to see so many of you gathered here today’.