I'M afraid, with all this political correctness', that we are in danger of being a society that actively accepts mediocrity, rather than expecting achievement.

By doing so we are robbing new generations of the lifeblood of competition, of the chase' and of winning the race.

Sports days are set aside, while outdoor activities and school trips are being axed because of health and safety issues.

We must be careful, for if there are to be no losers then, by definition, there will be no winners.

Taking risks, facing danger and fierce competition are the elements that make things happen. They are the seed-beds of progress and what, I think, put the Great into Great Britain.

We must not strangle the hopes and dreams of our children with the red tape of bureaucracy, or fill them with our own imaginary fears. It's not easy to stand back and let them get on with it, but we must, for evolution has proved that only the brave, strong species survive, and inevitably the weak go to the wall.

We were talking of memories the other day and we of the older generation, say over 40, have a collective memory. We recall lots of the same things those little bottles of milk in school, playing out, the infant class afternoon nap, field days, Whit walks, marbles and walking to school with your pals.

And we must have had hot summers, for I recall going to the Saturday matinee at the Scrat' (Palladium) and we would be fascinated by popping' tar bubbles in the gutter.

I wonder if today's children will have that collectiveness. Will they be able to say to one another: Hey! Remember when we sat for hours playing alone on the computer when we didn't play out, being driven to school and sitting in our bedrooms alone again watching television?' I very much doubt it.

On Wednesday I was at the Gibbon Bridge at Chipping, for a charity James Bond evening. William Roache, alias Ken Barlow, auctioned a trip to Coronation Street and Janet, the owner of Gibbon Bridge, auctioned a barbecue party, so a lot of money was raised.

On Thursday we said goodbye to our Tom, and as he left on that final journey from his funeral. It was to Gracie Fields singing Wish me luck as you wave me goodbye' and it made us all smile a little. Goodbye, my love.

I've been in my garden and there seems to be a scarcity of butterflies. Maybe I'm not growing the right sort of flowers, but I've plenty of ants. I think they're taking over.

Ant-watching is fascinating. Just put down a large dead daddy long legs in their path I know you always have a few handy and their army will survey the situation and delegate workers who will systematically dismember it and carry it back to the nest. I'm not surprised they're taking over.

Thank heavens next Saturday is cake and jam stocking up' day when Clitheroe WI have their annual big event at the grammar school. It's about time, too, my cake tins are empty!

Till next week.