Tuesday 30 June 2009

THE HAUNTED HOTEL Part one

A few years ago my husband went abroad for a week and I decided to use this time to stay at an Inn about 2 miles away from where my sister lives. Several times over the years whilst visiting her, I had thought it looked an interesting place in which to stay. This was an ideal opportunity and so I booked a double room, half board.

You can see this place on the Internet. It is called The George at Nunney (Somerset) and is a 15th century Hotel opposite the ruins of a moated 14th century castle. I love the place and was really looking forward to staying there. I knew nothing about it at all, but did wonder if it was haunted or if I would "pick up" anything whilst staying there. Now, I may be a psychic medium, but I have never seen a ghost which is a totally different thing to what I do. I still haven't seen one, but, I now know they exist. My first night was about to be very scary in some ways.

On arrival I was shown to my room which was sort of on the 2nd or 3rd floor. The main stairs take you to a first floor hotel lounge. From this room there are three exits. One takes you back the way you came, the furthest door takes you to all the main hotel bedrooms and the third exit on the right hand side of this room, takes you to where I was to stay. It led to two bedrooms on that level, but there were about six steps leading to another room on its own at the very top of the Hotel. This was the room given to me. These three rooms were quite cut off from the main body of the hotel and even though it was very nice, the fact I was alone made me a little nervous at being so cut off. Little did I realise then, that I was actually the only guest staying in the hotel that night.

I unpacked my things, had a quick wash and then left to go and visit my sister who lived in an adjoining village. She was to join me for dinner on the Friday evening, but the first two nights I would dine alone. I got back to the Inn at about 4pm with the intention of having a relaxing bath, a lie down reading for an hour or so and then a walk around the castle opposite before coming back and having a drink (or two) outside by the river before dinner. All best laid plans and all that.

As I came back into the hotel, there were two ladies sitting there with a cup of tea. They said hello and asked if I would like to join them. They introduced themselves as the owner and her friend who was also the hotel receptionist. It was kind of them to ask and so I agreed. We had a cup of tea and about an hour later we all had a glass of wine. Why not, I thought. I was on holiday and wasn't driving anywhere. How pleasant was this.

Where we were sitting was in the reception area. The reception desk was mainly in the hallway, but you could look through from the desk area into the bar which was behind a thick stone wall. As I sat there with them both sipping my wine I asked a question without thinking what I was doing. I looked at the owner and asked her who the man was who used to come in every day and sit on a stool at the bar in a corner by the door. I told her he smoked as he had just blown smoke into my nostril, that he wore a soft cloth cap and was called Tom. I don't know who was more stunned, them or me.

I am not now talking about the ghost. This was me picking up something mediumistically. This never used to happen to me like that but this place was something else and my gifts have never been stronger than they were in the George that holiday. I was asked what I was talking about and they were fascinated by my answer. They looked at each other knowingly but never said why. I found out the next morning why they had looked at each other like that. In fact, later that night in reality. Anyway, they said they didn't know who it was as the owner had only been there for about two years so wasn't sure about past regulars.

I later went up to my room, had my bath and went down for dinner. There was the residents dining room or another eating area for non residents in the lounge bar. I chose to eat in the lounge bar area as it had more character and I wanted to see what the local villagers were like. It was a good decision. I had a superb meal and then after I had finished was approached by the landlady. She told me that a man called Richard was bound to be in at any minute and that he had been a regular each night for many years. If anyone knew who I had been talking about earlier, it would be him.

He arrived and they asked him if they knew a man who smoked, wore a cloth cap and sat on the same stool in the corner at the bar every night. Before they could say more, he said "Oh yes, that'll be old Tom". You could have knocked me for six. He told us more about him and then we left it with no more said. I was asked if I could pick up any more, but I couldn't as I was tired by now and ready for my bed. The next night in the hotel was to be an incredible experience for me and the whole village. This night, however, was to be the most incredible experience I have ever had.

At this point, I still did not know that I was the only guest in the hotel that night. I knew there was no one else in to eat, but in a hotel (or village Inn) so far from anywhere, I put it down to them having eaten in Bath or somewhere else they had been to see that day and assumed they would arrive later. Wrong! With what happened next all I can say is thank goodness I didn't know that night that I was alone apart from the owners, who were in another part of the hotel. If I had known then,due to what happened later, that I was the only one, I would have been petrified out of my skin. As it was, I put it down, at first, to someone playing a joke on me.

My room was very pleasant, quite spacious, had a pleasant outlook and a decent sized bathroom. It had an old wooden door with an old fashioned latch with a ringed handle. You know the sort. Twist the ring handle and the latch lifts. The weather was very hot and so I had the sash window wide open for air and to try and get a breeze in the room. I washed, changed and did all the usual and got into bed with the bedside light on, picked up my book and prepared to read to make my eyes tired enough to sleep. And then the first thing happened.

Monday 29 June 2009

MY HOUSE IS ON THE MARKET

Well it was last year, but it isn't now. Due to falling prices we took it off until things settled. Listening to people moaning about Estate Agents, yet again, reminded me of a poem I wrote many years ago. I thought that those of you selling your homes, or thinking of it, may well be able to relate to this. I hope you enjoy it.


MY HOUSE IS ON THE MARKET


My house is on the market
And I feel that I am too
For they ask such personal questions
Why are they all so rude?

I've cleaned and polished, gardened too
Bleach in hand, I've scrubbed the loos
Straightened the curtains and hoovered the carpets,
The table's done, so please don't mark it.

Up and down and in and out
they poke their noses all about
They come they go, as well you know
In all the places not on show.

Now time has passed and the agent's rung,
"I've sold your house" he says
He seems very pleased but can't understand
Why I am seeing red.

For he only wants his commission,
it really isn't fair,
He' reduced my house down more and more
And doesn't seem to care

It's very strange how things have changed
All in the space of a day
To sell I was told, "prices are low"
But as a buyer "they've all shot higher"

Now another home I need to buy
Doing it his way I can't afford
So I'll stay where I am, or do it myself
And give him back his board.

Friday 26 June 2009

PSYCHIC MEDIUM - A NEW WAY

Yesterday, a friend came to see me and I gave her a small reading. Now, not so long ago, I was told that I would work with a new gift. It was to be a slightly new way of working which would help to convince people who may otherwise be sceptical. I have many ways of working, but in mediumship, it is usually the dead who you give evidence of. I would appear to be giving it of the living as well now.

One of the gifts I use is that of Clairsentience. In other words, I feel the other person's emotions, illnesses, suffering, joy, whatever. Whilst giving the reading, I suddenly started to sniff and keep rubbing one side of my nose. I felt something in it and kept pulling on the side of my nose in order to make more space to breath. It was as though one side had caved in and needed stretching in order to get air through.

She immediately told me that was something she recognised about the man she was seeing. I then went with it and tried to see what else would follow. There was quite a bit and I had actually linked into him and was aware of everything he was feeling and doing at that very moment. I gave her all of the information. Where he was sitting, what the room looked like, what he had in front of him and what smell was around. Thoughts that were going on in his head, what he was trying to work on at that time and more. This was confirmed when he telephoned and she asked him some questions. Before he could tell her all, she then told him the rest which in turn stunned him.

Up until yesterday, I had not done it that way. I have always been able to get something, but not in that detail as though I was that person. I really felt as though I were him. It was quite uncanny. Now, is this the new gift I was told I would receive? I was told that it would make my work easier and that it was a way in which things would be verified easily. this could well be it then. Usually, it is a psychic way of working that gives you information from reading another person's energy. This was totally different. This was definitely mediumship in an incredible new form for me.

I stepped inside that person if you like. I cannot describe it any other way. I was in that room and yet I was also in my own drawing room with my friend. there is no way it was bi-location as I wasn't also seen at the boyfriend's place. He was totally unaware of anything at the time I linked in. He felt nothing, nor did he see or hear anything. how did that happen then?

I have to say that it wasn't creepy or worrying for me, it was just puzzling. At the time of doing it I felt nothing. I was just relaying all I was feeling, seeing, hearing and smelling. To me, I was a part of that person. When nothing more seemed to be forthcoming I withdrew and pulled myself back to awareness of my own surroundings. I was not in trance or any other such thing, but it was something very different. I am looking forward to the next time I work to see if it happens again.

What is rather nice about it all was the fact that she was able to confirm straight away that all I said was spot on. It was amazing that he telephoned just after we finished and that she was able to check it all out. One thing though, I was aware of a couple of things he was feeling that I kept to myself. When linking in like that, it would be too awful if something private was relayed to another person. This is something I would never do.

I was not trying to connect with him at all. I had been working in my normal way when she started speaking of him. It was as she did so that I, apparently, started taking on some of his mannerisms as well as the sniffing. He sniffs not in an awful way, but in a way that he is obviously uncomfortable. It wasn't loud or intrusive, but something he just does quietly. I also took on the way he sits and a habit he has with his hands when thinking. He sits with hands clasped and twiddles his thumbs. Whilst I was relaying the information, I was apparently sitting doing that all the way through and sitting exactly as he would.

Well, I don't know what you think, but I'm quite pleased with this new gift if that's what it is. I really look forward to the next sittings to see if it happens each time or just now and again. There were exceptional circumstances involved with this one, so maybe that's when it will manifest itself. Only time will tell. I'll let you know if it develops further. As I say, this is not at all unusual when giving evidence of those who have passed, but for me, it is highly unusual to do it for the living. I wonder what else awaits me in the future. What a lovely time this is.

Sunday 21 June 2009

AUTOMATIC WRITING PART 2

Last time I told you how my writing started and who the person was who came through to me. There was more with William for a while and at one time I asked him what his signature would have been like. He showed me. About three weeks after this, a friend gave me a book which she had found in a second hand bookshop. It was about Cowper and at the front of the book was a sketch of him and his signature was underneath it. It matched the one he had given me perfectly. It was as though I had traced it they were so well matched.

As time went on, I became more adept at receiving this writing. It is completely different to my own handwriting and comes very quickly. If I try and write anything my wrist starts to ache quite quickly. Whereas my automatic writing comes very quickly indeed and always fills approximately fifteen foolscap sized sheets of lined paper. It used to be more about the way we live and how man is ruining the world they live in. There was a lot of philosophy (which I'm not into) and talk of how I would be used to spread their word when the time was right.

I still get a little of that, but I have had a lot of predictions albeit quite cryptically worded. The London underground bombings was one of the things told to me. It was stated that there would be major disruption with travel, that there would be explosions in more than one place and that the people responsible were British born, infiltrated throughout Britain in different positions and were awaiting their instructions. There was more than that, but this is the type of thing I get. I am always told the scale of deaths or injuries to expect as well. Whether loss of life will be tremendous or minimal etc. This is never wrong either. Not enough information is ever given to prevent anything happening, but enough to make it obvious afterwards that that was the event they were talking of. I have been told some personal things for friends and family, but mainly, it is about the world and this country. The MP's scandal is another. There is something I have received about Prince Charles and his future but that I shall not talk of here.

At one time I had eight different people come through with my writing. Each one had totally different writing and I felt each personality as they spoke to me. They spoke briefly and introduced themselves, telling me that we would all be working together soon and that they each had differing skills to offer. One is to help me in my healing and said he was well known in his field when alive, and that although not a doctor, the work he did then was what caused big changes in the medical field and that those discoveries made then, are still in use today. He wanted to be a doctor when of this world but was unable to and that is why he went into the field he did instead. Now of Spirit, he is able to help medically and will assist in healing some who come to me.

It is rare that I do my automatic writing these days, but when I do it still comes immediately and easily. It is very legible which is unlike most I have seen other people do. The only time I do it now is when I keep getting an urge to do so. That usually means there is news they have to impart to me. I say "they" although it is William who speaks to me through his writings. He starts off speaking to me and then I sometimes feel a slight change as others may move in to add their bit. He is still the one who passes the information though. It is his writing that I receive and he is, I feel, the main spokesperson for anyone else who comes along at the time.

There was only the one time that has ever varied. the time I told you of earlier. That time was different because they needed to let me feel them in order to know them for when we work together. I will recognise them when they work with me now due to that one time. A couple stood out more than the others as they had more dominant personalities. Only one gave me his name. He is called Luke and he told me that though him I will hear spirit in a way shown me before. I look forward to this time very much indeed.

There are several things I have been told about which are yet still to happen. When something larger which will affect countries or people on a major scale is predicted, I am always given a simple bit of information with it. For example. There are some bits of information I was given at the end of April about a couple of larger events to occur later on. At the same time, I was told that someone I know was to receive a surprise marriage proposal and that it would be welcomed with open arms. A marriage would soon follow as there would be no need to wait but it would be a marriage I would not go to though. A couple more bits of information were also given to me on that matter that must remain private as they are to do with that same person and not for me to talk of publicly. I was informed that this little bit was given to me in order that when it came to pass I would then know that all else told to me was also correct. This has now already happened and it happened to someone who said she had no intention of marrying again. And, no, I won't be going to the wedding. No one will. They have decided to go away and do it without telling anyone when it will be.

My writings (as I call them) is only one small part of what I do and is always about the future or warnings about the planet and how it can be put right. One day, I shall be instrumental in spreading this word. I don't know how or when that will be, but I was told it would be so and so I have to believe that it will happen as predicted. My other work is Mediumship and Healing. All of this is done with no certificates, training or any other such stuff. If one is born to do this work then the only Teacher one needs is not of this world. My Teacher cannot be matched by anyone here. There are those who can help develop a gift if one has it, but it cannot be man made even though many say it can be and wish for it to be so.

I only ever wish to work with the very highest energy and to me that is God. I have total trust and belief in Him and all His works. All who come to me to assist in this work are from Him and I will never work with anything or anyone lower. I am able to tell immediately if something feels wrong around me and it is always when sitting with someone who does not believe in God (or whatever name you call him by) or a greater energy than they themselves. This to me, is what is meant, when the "Discernment of Spirits" is talked of in the Bible. To see the true spirit within a person and the state of their hearts or souls and the calibre of spirit who works with that person. Man is full of ego and it is impossible to do this work properly is one's ego gets in the way. Sadly this happens in many cases. No matter how good the intentions, man's ego is a powerful tool and can often intrude.

Many good mediums have let their ego's become greater than God's work and they forget that they are but instruments. Money and fame are the greatest problems when they become at risk of letting this happen to them. The truly good and honest mediums will not allow this to happen and will always work with great humility and respect for the gifts they have been given. What God has given, God can just as easily take away.

I love being able to help others and wish only ever to do it to the best of my ability and hope never to offend God or to use these gifts for the wrong reasons. My big wish in life now, is to remain healthy enough to do this work for as long as possible. It has taken me many years to learn various aspects and how to use them properly. I have been to many places and heard strange teaching methods and outright rubbish. Only a handful are teaching how this should be done in order not to compromise the high standards required. Most seem to think that they are able to "give" these gifts to their "pupils" by putting them in groups and allowing any Tom, Dick or Harry to join in. There is not a man (or woman) alive who can do that. Steer well clear of these places if you want to see true, natural mediums.

What I have just said doesn't mean all development groups are bad or wrong, they aren't. Just be very selective. Sit, watch and listen before you commit yourself to anything. Be very careful and if you do have a natural, God given talent then you will be guided. Trust your inner voice, for often that is when God is speaking to you. If you wish to try anything I talk of, then test the Spirits to see from whence they come. Do not trust everything or everyone you connect with as not all are for the good. If in doubt don't. If ever you try anything and what you get turns out to be untrue or never happens, then you are not working with good spirits. God never lies. Remember that. Everything God does is good. All that comes from Him is good. If you work that way and place your trust in Him and those He sends to assist in this work, then you will never go wrong.

Sunday 14 June 2009

THE WORLD TODAY

How is the world today?
It's sad to see the change

For our children aren't safe anywhere anymore
There's murder and mayhem and world wide wars
Kidnapping, mugging, now road rage too
What in the world are we all coming to?

How bad is the world today?
So different from long times past

For our doors are all bolted, windows are locked
Not safe in our beds, it's time to take stock
There are burglars, vandals, homelessness too
We're even too nervous to watch all the news.

How sad is the world today?
For we brought it upon ourselves

How did we get in this terrible state
And can it now change, or is it too late?
Scared to go out and scared staying in
What a terrible world we're all living in.

How poor is the world today?
So full of everyone's greed

For it's this that has made us what we all are
We're all just as guilty-you needn't look far
To see what has given us our terrible lives
For we're selfish and greedy and so full of strife.

The world could be rich today
If all of us changed our ways

And were contented and happy without needing wealth
And looked out for others forgetting ourselves.
To be kind and thoughtful to man and to beast
Is all it would take to bring us all peace.

Thursday 11 June 2009

AUTOMATIC WRITING

I touched briefly before on automatic writing and that I had done some. I'll explain more in depth here how that first came about. It was at least 12 or 13 years ago. It wasn't long after the lottery started whenever that was. The reason I know that is because I was given three numbers for it. Yes, sadly only three.

At that time we lived in another part of the Bay and our house was quite secluded with a garden that was regularly visited by rabbits with their babies, Flash and Harry (2 mice) and pheasants amongst others. It was a lovely garden and the animals never disturbed any plants as they were all fed with appropriate food bought weekly. So, there I was sitting in my usual chair at the window looking out at the garden. It was a Saturday afternoon at about 3pm and as I sat I had a pad on knee and a pen in my hand. It was lottery day and my usual habit was to sit and blank my mind then write the first numbers which came into my mind.

As I sat there this particular day, I started to daydream a little. As I did so, I felt the pen start to move on the paper. I sat up properly, shook myself to alertness and tried to concentrate. As I waited for a number to come into my mind the pen started to move again. This time I questioned it. Why? What was happening? I was sure it wasn't me. The third time it happened I realised that maybe I should see if I could concentrate on that instead and watch what else would happen if I didn't quickly snatch my hand away.

In my head, I placed the thought that if anyone wanted to communicate I was willing to let them. I hasten to add that at this time of my life I thought that was baloney (rubbish). I knew loads of other things happened to me but automatic writing? Please!! I waited and within less than half a minute the pen started to move excrutiatingly slowly on the paper. I held the pen so loosely that it was difficult for anything to happen. I now know that you should hold it properly. Anyway. I got a load of joined up number 8's - or that's what they appeared to be. What is the point of that, I thought. So I asked whoever was there to give me numbers for the lottery that night. I must say that I did this very tongue in cheek because, as I said, I thought it was all a load of rubbish.

I got three numbers. It took about 10 minutes to write them as it was so slow in coming but there they were. I don't know about America, but in England we pick six numbers per line. I usually did two lines and so I wrote the three numbers I had been "given" on one line and added another three of my own. I then did the same thing with line two. Went to the shop, paid my money and thought what a fool I was. I wasn't. Those three numbers came up. At the time (I think it still is) you won £10 for getting 3 numbers correct. I won £20 as I had put them in both lines.

It actually freaked me out a little I have to admit. Although I saw things, knew things and smelled things, this was different. This was like someone else was there and was a little creepy. It took me about a week or more to get up enough courage to try it again. I waited for a quiet afternoon, sat in the same chair in the same way and waited to see what would happen. This time I would be better prepared. Or so I thought. I held the pen and asked if anyone was there. After a short while the pen started its slow move on the paper. My heart was bumping and banging. I asked what their name was and when they had died. Again it moved. Was it me? Oh my God what on earth was I doing. It took positively ages, but a name was written, albeit very shakily and a year.

At this point I had scared myself to death and so I flung the pen and the book on the floor got up paced around the room trying to calm myself. The name was a little confusing at the end because I thought it was double O but the O's didn't look quite right for some reason. I left the room and waited till my husband got home from work. Over dinner, I told him what had happened. When I told him the name I had got he told me there had been a poet by that name. Well, knock me down with a feather. The name was William Cowper. It is pronounced Cooper hence the funny looking letters. I think it had been done that way to show me the pronunciation.

He went to the bookcase and took out the dictionary. Looking up Cowper, he asked what year I had been given - it was 1800. That was only the year he died!!!!!
Oh my goodness I really had the creeps now. That was the start. There is more to this that gets even more incredible. I have said enough for now and it'll get to be too much to read on a screen so I will tell you more about this next time.

Loads of love,

Lorraine

Sunday 7 June 2009

A DAY OF READINGS

Yesterday, I was asked, along with others, to attend a fund raising day for a Community Centre and to do "readings" for them. It absolutely poured down and so the day was rather poorly attended. However, quite a few of the people who came wanted a reading and of the ones I did, three of them stand out for various reasons.

The first I shall talk of is a lady who wanted pure mediumship. Now, I've already explained the differences between mediumship, psychic work and what I call "fortune telling". The latter of these is one I refuse to get involved with and the first is the one I favour along with healing.

Let me set the scene. I was in a room which was usually used as an office. It had been tidied up for my use that day and someone had put lots of different crystals in there. Now I love crystals and have many very large ones in my collection. I do not, however, think of them as anything other than very pretty to look at. There are those who believe they have healing properties, but I am not one of those people. Their presence did, however, lend a little extra to the atmosphere in the room together with several candles that I had lit in order to make the room appear more homely and welcoming.

Scene set, in comes the first "client" of the day. She was a very pleasant lady who appeared quite calm but was most insistent that all she wanted was mediumship. She didn't want a psychic reading or Angel Cards to be used, just pure, unadulterated mediumship. Excellent. I just hoped I was able to link in and give her what she was after. When I do a reading for someone I do not like them to have a conversation with me. You never know what they may let out about themselves or those connected to them. I ask them to hold off on that until after the reading is finished. All I want is "yes" or "no" answers to anything or a "maybe" if that's more pertinent. This is what I asked her to do.

There were many things I got for her and obviously I cannot give away private information, but you don't know her and it is, therefore, alright to give a little detail of what followed. I described her husband who had died and gave detailed information about him. I also mentioned a nephew, giving his name, and details of a situation with him of which her husband was aware. I then proceeded to tell her the situation she was worrying over and that her husband thought the solution she was thinking about would be a good decision to make. She confirmed this information was correct and said that was exactly the question she had come hoping to hear about.

I gave her several names of other people involved which also proved correct. There was advice given to her on another matter that I said she had been worrying over and I told her what her husband advised. I then also had to relay a warning about a necklace she was about to give to someone. Her husband didn't want it to go to that particular person. She confirmed that she was going to give the necklace to the person he stated and would now not do so.

The reading ended with me telling her that he was aware that she had received a large bouquet of yellow flowers that day and that he, in turn, was giving her pink flowers and a kiss on the cheek. She glowed with happiness and then told me that it was her 88th birthday that very day and that she had indeed received yellow flowers that morning. She also told me that he always gave her pink flowers on her birthday. That lady of 88 had caught 3 different buses in the pouring rain in order to come for that reading and she said it was worth it as I had made her day perfect. THAT is what is wonderful about mediumship. THAT is what the gifts are about. Not "fortune telling".

The second one I shall not talk of in detail. She is only to be mentioned to explain what mediumship is NOT about. She came in and sat down with her arms folded, legs crossed and informed me that she was there to get proof that her husband was with her and that she wanted him to tell her something she already knew. That was the only thing she wanted. No-one else, nothing else about anything else only that one thing. I explained that wasn't how it worked but she was not prepared to listen. She insisted I had to do what she said and that if I didn't then it proved it was all a load of rubbish. I will not work with someone like that and instead I tried to explain how it is done and that you cannot get who they want. It is only who is able (or wants in some cases) to come through.

I actually DID get her husband through and described him, his car make and colour and their home and where it was. I described his size, said what he had passed with and where it was located. All correct but wrong!! Wrong for her. She got annoyed and said that was all very well but that isn't what she wanted to hear. He must tell her what she wanted or else she wouldn't believe anything. Her very attitude blocked anything further and I wan't prepared to carry on with her interrupting all the time telling me to hurry up and get to the point she was there for.

I picked up psychically what was wrong and what it was she wanted and it proved correct. I could not get anything from her husband about it and never expected to. It was something that is not for us to know but she couldn't accept that. I had another medium come in and sit with her and she too had the same problem. The lady went away disgruntled and not at all happy even though her husband had come through. She was most ungrateful and it made me wonder what sort of life he had with her when she was able to dismiss the very fact he had come through at all. She agreed she had been very spoiled through her life and he always gave her anything she wanted. Not this time lady!!

The third one was a young lad recently back from Afghanistan. I shall not tell anything about his reading apart from the fact he broke down in tears and sobbed on my shoulder. It was almost a counselling session for him as well as a reading. He, like the first lady, got exactly what he came for and although he got upset, some was due to what he had seen and gone through and some was due to the fact he found comfort in things I told him and described. He too went away very happy from his reading.

So you can see from this little bit that there is more to mediumship than spouting out a load of nonsense and tales of tall dark handsome men or riches forthcoming. It is that sort of nonsense that most people want when seeking out a clairvoyant. I do see a little of their future at times and can tell of things I see ahead for them, but that is a very small part of the work I do. What I have just talked about is how I prefer to work and in my eyes, that is how I believe God wishes it to be done. He didn't give us these gifts to tell people mundane, silly things to do with one's personal life and how to lead it.

After helping people and bringing them comfort or answers to things I couldn't otherwise have possibly known about them or their loved ones, I am left with an incredible feeling. It makes me feel quite humble that I may have been chosen to work in this way to bring comfort to others. It may be in a very small way but how wonderful is that? I am well blessed indeed and it is for this reason that I feel quite saddened and sickened by the things I hear about when charlatans cheat these people. Imagine that young lad back from Afghanistan getting cheated by a fraud out to take his money and giving him a load of rubbish. It is these people who often would leave someone like him in a bad way afterwards. This work brings huge responsibility with it and should never be treated lightly or abused. I hope and pray that I shall never do this even unwittingly and that I am allowed to continue in this work for as long as I am able.

God Bless,

Lorraine.

Tuesday 2 June 2009

HANSARD DEBATE

I have added this to my posts because the link wasn't working that well and there are some who think what I have written is the work of a mad woman. Due to the fact I wrote at the start about my nerve problems, there are a few quite mean minded people who say my story is that of a fantasist. I have added this debate to show what I say is true.




Mr. Harry Barnes (Derbyshire, North-East) : My hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, South (Ms. Primarolo) referred to the lack of aid for the Kurds and gave some harrowing examples of the present position. However, without denying that, I want to talk about the generosity of the British people in supplying aid to the Kurds--a generosity which has not been matched by the Government on behalf of the British people and has not been adequately assisted by the Government in terms of the organisation and resources that the Government could have offered to the voluntary organisations. I am not referring to the Simple Truth concerts that were held seven weeks after the crisis emerged, although they were very praiseworthy. I want to stress the spontaneous and immediate response of the British people which occurred as soon as they witnessed the harrowing scenes of the Kurds going into the mountains in Turkey. In towns, neighbourhoods and villages up and down the land, without being asked, mobilised or organised by anyone, apart from one or two people who took initiatives in their own communities, people began to collect the kind of things that they felt the Kurds required. That happened from the beginning of April as soon as those scenes were broadcast on our television screens.

By 4 April, British Aid for the Kurds, one of the largest groups and voluntary organisations to assist the Kurds, had been established. It was established by Lorraine

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Goodrich from Devon, who had run an organisation called Parcels for the Gulf. She has received recognition for the work that she has done with Parcels for the Gulf. For example, she is included in a visit that is to take place to Buckingham Palace shortly in recognition of the role that she played. However, she cannot receive any mention from the Government or any recognition of the work that has been done by British Aid for the Kurds. When it came to supplying parcels to the troops, she was a heroine, but when it came to supplying aid to the Kurds, she was an embarrassment to the Government.
Parcels for the Gulf was a straightforward operation. Those who wanted to send materials out to troops carefully parcelled them up, organised them and contacted United Carriers, which said that it would handle the parcels free but in the event charged £2 for collecting up to 15 items, which were then transported. The Ministry of Defence had enough planes going out to the Gulf to be able to take the materials out there.

British Aid for the Kurds collected masses more material than Parcels for the Gulf, but it had massive logistical problems and needed assistance from the Government. It collected foodstuffs, blankets, medicines--which were supplied in response to lists drawn up by the Iranian embassy--and clothing. There is a myth around, which the Overseas Development Administration tends to perpetuate, that all the British Aid for the Kurds did was to collect clothing which turned out not to be needed. That is not the case. The clothing has been trans-shipped and is of value and in use, but the organisation has been involved in sending many other items. It collected tons and tons of material and then had to face the logistics of transporting it.

Transport was initially supplied free within Britain by the National Courier Service. Then Track 29, which works with British Rail and publicises its activities as a private haulage organisation linked with the railways, began to move the bulk of the material. According to Lorraine Goodrich, it was brilliant in the work and the organisation in which it was engaged.

However, it was not simply a matter of moving goods about Britain. As the goods could not be moved quickly, there were massive storage problems. People gave storage facilities. They included businesses, councils, individuals and in some cases, although not very often, the ODA. As it was taking time to ship goods, storage presented great problems. People who had made storage facilities available needed them back. They expected to hand over their facilities for only a week or so. The great problem became the movement overseas of the material that had been collected.

It was not until 24 April, 20 days after the organisation began its activities, that the first material was shifted out of Britain through Iran Air. Iran Air has a regular flight into Heathrow and a 747 was loaded full of material and sent out. Iran Air paid the landing fees for the Heathrow exercises. Although, after protests, the fee was lifted for special flights, the standard flights each Wednesday which have carried masses of material from British Aid for the Kurds have been subject to landing fees.

Only two ODA flights, or flights paid for by the ODA, have been provided for British Aid for the Kurds, but it was not recognised by the ODA that the material was from British Aid for the Kurds. A 707 flight went from Belfast. A 747 Iran Air flight from Heathrow was paid for by the

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ODA. That was held to be material collected by the Iranian embassy. In fact, it was British Aid for the Kurds material.
I tabled parliamentary questions in an effort to discover what the Government and the ODA thought had been done by British Aid for the Kurds, but I got virtually a nil return, as though British Aid for the Kurds did not exist. I received a letter from Lord Belstead on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office showing that the material sent from Belfast had been collected under the aegis of British Aid for the Kurds, but that fact does not seem to have been recognised by the ODA.

There have been eight other Iran Air flights. The significance of those is that Iran Air has large 747s, whereas the British Government tend to hire only the smaller capacity 707s when material needs to be sent to such areas. There have been two overland trips with material, one to Turkey in mid-April and one to Iran on 25 April, paid for by the ODA.

In all, 527 tonnes of material has been sent from this country. A further 200 tonnes is at Heathrow and elsewhere. It could readily be moved by Track 29. British Aid for the Kurds believes that if it had not had to put the brakes on because of the difficulty of shifting material it could, without any problem, have collected three times more material, and, as my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, South said, that material is urgently required in the area.

Next week, British Aid for the Kurds hopes to send out--through Iran, but for northern Iraq--a prefabricated building which will house a 40-bed hospital, with 40 lockers, 200 blankets, 400 sheets, 100 pillow slips, 100 towels and 100 sets of clothing, plus appropriate medicines that are urgently required. The organisation has had to engage in a special financial appeal--it had not previously been involved in collecting money-- and has £5,000 from the Welsh organisation Kurdish Relief (Wales), which acts under its umbrella. Judy Stubbs, of Cutthorpe in my constituency, a northern organiser for British Aid for the Kurds, wrote to the Prime Minister on 17 April offering the Government masses of materials free which they could ship to the Kurds. No answer has yet been received to that letter, although she was writing on behalf of that organisation. The scale of the operation is revealed in parliamentary written answers to me. Up to 15 May, Save the Children had sent out 207 tonnes of material, Oxfam 143 tonnes and the Red Cross 290 tonnes--all valuable material which had been specifically purchased for special purposes, and I am not decrying that contribution. British Aid for the Kurds had by then sent out 478 tonnes of material. That was done with little publicity. There was no national publicity--the media blackout set me wondering whether a D notice had been applied to the organisation's activities--and only a limited amount of regional coverage.

I have tabled five early-day motions and several written questions about British Aid for the Kurds. In addition to questioning Ministers when statements have been made, I made a short speech in an Opposition day debate on the work of the ODA. There has been no public recognition by the Government of the work of British Aid for the Kurds, despite links with the ODA, to which I shall come.

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The ODA has acted in the only way it can act, given the way it is established and the finances available to it, and that is in an ad hoc and limited fashion. That is no fault of the dedicated staff of the ODA disaster unit. Under pressure from the Labour party, the number of staff has risen from four at the start of the disaster to six. When the Bangladesh crisis arose the number rose to nine, and the latest figure of which I am aware is 12.
The Overseas Development Administration has a hangar containing collections of material to be sent to disaster areas. When disasters such as earthquakes occur, it sends out a couple of 707s and purchases food in the nearest local market. That is its usual contribution to disasters, but it has had on its hands three massive disasters for which it has special responsibility. Although the ODA has been trying to handle the problems by increasing its staff, it finds that the problems are beyond it because it is seriously underfunded and there is a lack of political will at Cabinet level to assist it. The ODA even has to pay the Ministry of Defence to take materials to Kurdish areas in the middle east.

The Government are terrified to be seen to have provided insufficient aid. On 9 May, I asked the Minister for Overseas Development for a meeting with British Aid for the Kurds but I have not yet received a reply to my letter. It took until 5 April for the first of the two usual 707 disaster relief flights to leave for Turkey. Not until 8 April did the first 707 fly out to Iran. By 27 April, only four 707s, taking out 35 tonnes each, had flown to Iran. It appears that nothing has ever been sent to Syria, although some 100,000 refugees found their way into that country.

The Prime Minister's initial response to the crisis was his famous remark that he did not recall anyone asking the Kurds to rebel. He then had to react against that statement and suggested a safe havens policy. It may be as well that he did, or the safe havens policy might not have emerged so quickly. The initial safe havens policy did not provide sufficient water, food, medical supplies and other necessities required by the Kurds. We were defending the Kurds, who were then dying from lack of food, supplies and cover in the most abysmal circumstances--in massive contrast with the facilities and organisation provided for the Gulf war, which destabilised Iraq and led to the problems.

When I wrote to the Prime Minister about those problems, I claimed that the Government's response was "tawdry". I do not know whether it was in response to that comment, but he then wrote to the United Nations claiming that its response was "tardy". The difference is that "tawdry" means showy, but worthless, which is exactly the Government's position, while "tardy" means slow to act, move or happen. Those are the definitions given in the Oxford reference dictionary.

The Government's response to the plight of the Kurds has been inadequate. They have tried to pretend that they have done something dramatic, but they have not met the basic humanitarian needs of the Kurds--and when people have moved to meet the needs, the Government have been embarrassed and have attempted to downgrade those actions. It is not only the Government who have failed to make the necessary statements. To their great discredit, the mass media of this country have failed to pick up the fact that the British public were involved in these humanitarian acts. The British public are ready to respond to disasters

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and they expect the Government to act automatically on their behalf and to help the organisations seeking to assist the Kurds and others involved in disasters.
Lorraine Goodrich's letter concludes :

"We have now also started an account for Africa after requests to do so from many of our contacts throughout the Country. We shall be taking the ODA's advice and United Nations' on what they would like done with the money as and when the time arises."

This time, cash is to be collected to try to move matters along because it was found impossible merely to collect materials and goods and to rely on the Government then to move those goods.