I settled down to watch the XXXth Olympiad Opening Ceremony and to be honest I was transfixed.

Let me explain who I am! Born early 50s . . . taken into St James’ Hospital Leeds (town of birth) as a little baby and was made better, moved to Birmingham as a three-year-old and put in a council house (hot & cold water, inside toilet, big garden) known as Parker Morris standard in a post war slum clearance area, brought up by my Mum who was a shop worker, went to the local comp and got to university, when only eight per cent did (nearer to 50% now).

I am grateful, and feel privileged to be given these supportive, forming opportunities. I became a youth worker to try and pay back to other generations of young people, those chances I was offered and took, with both hands!

What’s that to do with the Olympics? Well, to me, the Opening Ceremony was a celebration of what makes us British.

Improving conditions in factories, pits and shipyards for workers. Going to war to defend the underdog and defeat Fascism. Providing 'Homes for Heroes'. A 'from the cradle to the grave' Welfare State safety net. Our wondrous NATIONAL Health Service, there, free at the point of use, for all. Parks and gardens in our cities and towns. Museums and art galleries. A society so civilised that it feels comfortable entrusting the safety of those who risk the shores and seas of our islands to a voluntary, charitable RNLI!

It is because of what happened to me that made me how I am, that makes me cherish what I cherish and drives me to share those 'gifts' with us all.

A young Indian lad, here to study, is shot dead at point blank range on his way to the January Sales. There are those who would not have wanted that young guy to be welcome here . . . his assailant was a local lad, British. Is he of any civilised, normal community with standards we would recognise as acceptable?

Some of our community, our brothers & sisters, sons & daughters, neighbours & friends are in love with members of the same sex. They are and want to be that way. Who are we to say they are wrong, 'it' is wrong? What difference does it make to me?

Some of our community want to have faith, worship and pray in different ways. Some wear 'funny' clothes to do it, do it in 'odd' ways, in different languages, with 'unusual' practices.

Some of us were mods, some rockers, some teddy Boys, hippies. Some youngsters today want to be 'goths' and have died by the intolerance of others towards a bit of differently applied make up, some bits of metal, hair gel and leather clothes?

So I enjoyed the Opening Ceremony. It seemed to celebrate my country, my nation: ingenious, resolute, caring, hardworking, with high moral/ethical standards.

The British, champion of the underdog . . . Great Britain.

How do you see US? What do you think shaped US?