New Years resolutions for 2014

I tend to use New Years resolutions as a bit of a 'to-do' list for the year. Here's my results list for things achieved in 2013, and my plan ahead for 2014!

  

Number 1 priority:

1. Get elected to Norfolk County Council on 2^nd May 2013 (and try to get Brenda elected) 

This didn't go so well at first! I failed to win a seat on Norfolk County Council by a single vote! I got 813 votes whereas the UKIP candidate got 814 votes. Brenda Canham also failed to win Thetford-East division by a fairly significant margin. However, the UKIP Councillor that beat me, went on to resign 6 weeks after being elected, prompting a by-election which I went on to win with 1,171 votes - which I was incredibly proud of. The campaign was immense - hot, exhausting, but ultimately a fantastic experience. Thanks so so much to all the incredible people that helped make this a reality.

 Community Work

2. Obtain funding to support Community Football Coaching sessions for the TCA for a further year - Our Breckland Youth Advisory Board application earlier in the year was not submitted, but the football coaching project was fortunate to be granted £3,000 from Thetford Town Council to continue delivery in the Spring of 2013. We were successful with a YAB application to provide Summer Holiday activities, but our further YAB application for Football Coaching in October 2013 failed, and we are currently not delivering any football coaching activities but I am working on a fairly comprehensive application to Sport England.

3. Deliver Horticulture project - we got off the ground our gardening club sessions at the London Road allotment and these went really well throughout the Summer.

 House

4. Complete house maintenance plan - when I bought my house 3 years ago it was a bit of a mess! It was a repossession and needed a lot of work doing to it. I was really pleased that within the last year I managed to get a new shower and enclosure installed (thanks to Dad) and decking in the back garden (thanks to James) and the small room decorated (thanks to Angus). For the first time since I moved in, I've actually been really pleased with the house and it feels 'homely'.

Personal

5. Enrol on a further education course – E..g Charity Management? I've not been able to complete this as intended, purely due to time constraints. But I am enrolled on an LGA Leadership course for the New Year which I am looking forward to.

6. Get a part-time job - I was pleased to get the opportunity to work for Richard Howitt MEP for 6 months this year from June through to the end of November. This gave me a great insight into the workings of the European Union and helped me to understand further how the Labour Party and senior politicians operated.

Political

7. Identify a minimum of 1,000 supporters across West Thetford and 500 across Thetford-East and get half of each registered as postal voters - half achieved! Certainly have much greater knowledge of Labour voters for the Thetford West division, thanks primarily to the by-election, but Thetford - East info is still somewhat lacking.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS 2014!

Number 1 priority: Make Charles Burrell into a successful community project by Christmas 2014

We have the opportunity to turn this into the most amazing community project in Thetford (and further afield), and my number one priority for this year will be to make this happen.

Financial

Clear outstanding debts and purchase 3 or 4 bedroom property by end of 2014

Community Work

Obtain money for Football Coaching project

Obtain money for Gardening Club

House

Get backdoors replaced - its bloomin freezing in the front room all the time! Decorate bedroom and erect fence in front garden.

Personal

Undertake some additional learning

Get to a minimum of 16 stone by Christmas 2013

Political

Co-ordinate Euro election campaign in Breckland / SW Norfolk and raise money for Breckland elections, form Breckland LCF, launch 100 Club, start regular canvassing sessions, begin selecting candidates