Clean slates (and plates)

As promised, I have scanned the original 1990 Parish Walk correspondence, and my plans to transform the event. It certainly did grow although my vision was of a slightly different profile of walker than the type that make up the majority of the field. I envisaged a sub 15 hour walk from a visiting walker not from within our own ranks and I expected more visitors but fewer locals.

My favourite story (told many times) from this exercise was when I went to discuss the sponsorship at the CMI offices one lunchtime. I was  barely back in my own office when a young trainee accountant phoned me to ask how the job interview had gone. I had been seen by his girlfriend and assumed that I was after a job - typical Isle of Man!

My least favourite story (told even more often) was the unending criticism I received from some of the officials at the time for the changes that I committed the organisers to - I was told I would destroy the event. I had only just stood down from the treasurer's role at Boundary Harriers after 10 years because I thought it was time to bring about change at the IOMAA and I stood for the Chairman's role. But the club asked me to secure a new sponsor for the Parish Walk and after spending so many years at committee meetings when things got discussed but not always acted upon I felt the Parish Walk needed a clean slate. I got my way (albeit with a lot of pain) but I failed miserably with the clean slate I tried to bring to the fixture list when the track was opened the following year.

The best dishes need clean slates, or plates would be even better! You can have all the history as fine ingredients but from time to time you need to clean the plate before serving up the best of the old and the new.

the 1990 sponsorship agreement