Duckers & Diving: Keeping the flame alive
THIS week our award-winning columnist – who is recognised the world over for his sporting prowess – discovers that media types from around Birmingham have finally caught the spirit of the Olympics.
Never let it be said that the creative industries in Birmingham are prone to shy away from sporting endeavours because I now have evidence to prove the doubters wrong.
A group have taken part in a marathon session at a Journalists’ Charity fund-raising bash in Savoy Place, London.
The Brummie contingent from the charity’s West Midlands committee were among the great and good who joined “Journalism’s Salute to the Olympians and Paralympians”.
Which should be guaranteed to jinx our medal-winning chances.
Among the party were chairman Laurie Upshon, life president and former Evening Mail photographer Gerry Armes, secretary Val Deeley, TV mogul Derek Inman, Lois Burley and Lucie Ray from Lois Burley PR, and Fleet Street Consulting’s Steve Dann.
(On the train down they were coincidentally joined by John James on his way to the RAC Club … but that’s another story!)
A number of former Olympians attended the lunch including four-minute-mile record breaker Sir Roger Bannister, gold medal swimmers David Wilkie and Duncan Goodhew, and the day’s guest speaker, MP Sir Menzies Campbell CBE, a famed sprinter of his time.
On the “Tokyo” table the Midlands group were also joined by former Olympic rower Liz McVeigh who competed in the 1960 Summer Games. 
Highlight was one of the Olympic torches on display – here purloined by Inman.
And eventually the group returned home in fine form.
Albeit the train was 40 minutes late.
An old excuse!
