Mad March Hair & April Fool’s

I promise I’m not just going to wang about President Dump – but jeez. Deliberately raising prices for your ‘own people’ when you promised to bring them down seems as reckless a piece of economic self-harm for the US as Brexit was for us. As ever – it’ll be the poorest who suffer the most, be that through increased prices, reduced safety & worsened life chances. The rich of course will be just fine and dandy. A trade ‘war’ may well result in the long term in what Dump could claim as a victory – but only because the situations of ‘others’ has deteriorated more steeply than ‘theirs’. Numpty.

At home of course our Iron Clad Fiscal Fictitions are making sure that the poorest shoulder the burden of the search for ‘market stability’. It’s like The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists was written this year rather than 100 years ago.

Anyway as Rutger Bregman advises in Humankind: A Hopeful History – it’s often worth avoiding the news. It’s someone elses story about what might be important, you’ve got no control over it and it can be harmful to your sense of self and community. Well he said something like that anyway. Most people most of the time try to do the right thing, help each other and be kind. Sadly right now – none of them seem to hold the levers of power.

So back to springtime 2025 – new puppy has been with us for 6 of his 10 months of life. Seems like only yesterday he arrived from the rescue centre. Turned into a fine and gentle young dog. Although eating both a xmas cake and my hearing aids were not his finest moments. Still it’s given me repeated opportunity to repeat the obvios and hilarious quip: I didn’t know you had hearing aids…… I don’t.

We’ve just finished a contract with East Sussex CC – started three years ago helping with some service design for their ADDER pilot, grew into drafting a 3 Year drug strategy ‘Harm to Hope’, working to support a robust approach to investigating drug related deaths, strengthening post prison release pathways, joint working protocols for those with complex needs and supporting the development and governance of a local LERO.

We’ve also completed the work evaluating the Changing Futures Programme in Sussex.

So for the first time in 30+ years I am no longer doing any work in Sussex. Thankfully I still interfere with the Trust for Developing Communities in Brighton as the Chair. So can keep locally focused to an extent.

For the next 3 months we’re going to be deeply ensconsed in Southampton conducting a couple of needs assessments and service reviews.

I’ve also had the opportunity of supporting the baton passing between Martin and Rondine at Kaleidoscope – even made a sneaky return to George C’s awesome list last Friday.

Musically – really enjoyed last weeks Gurriers gig and am listening seemingly on a loop to the new Lucy Dacus album. Be warned though my younger brother in Oz only this morning in response to a music recommendation said ‘Mike – apart from Fontaines DC every recommendation you’ve given me in the last 10 years has been sh*t’.

But he’s wrong and is obviously a twit.

I’ve also just finished reading Ash Sarkar’s ‘Minority Rule – Adventures in the Culture Wars’ which I’d highly recommend. She has a really engaging writing style, a constant class based analysis and is a Spurs fan. What’s not to like.