Part of a Team

The memory that I carry with most fondness from my rugby career, was being part of a team. Lay a finger on one of my colleagues and the red mist came down. Original fault didn't come into it. My squash career, which followed, was much more focused on self. It was just me or him (or very occasionally her). My experience of politics is rather more akin to squash than rugby - until last night's Promise Auction that is. It was organised by the Montgomeryshire Conservatives, and held at Montgomery Town Hall. All six of our new Conservative Councillors were there, plus two of the candidates who lost out (this time). The atmosphere positively reeked of team spirit.

Our new Powys Council Board Member, Russell George paid £25 for a £20 voucher. Relieved to hear that he's not been given the 'Finance' portfolio. Clearly got a bit to learn before he's put in charge of Council Tax decisions. Mind you, I paid £200 for a 'Watercolour of the Mawddach Estuary' by Maddie Thornton, without having a clue what it was worth. Bought it because I liked it.

The 216 sausages donated by John Langford made £60. And I'd promised to take up to 20 people around our garden and ply them with a champagne tea - and that made £180. Worth strawberries and cream as well at that money. The second best news of the night is that we made between £2,000 and £3,000, to help us run our office. But the best news was (and is) that we have a strong team of political activists and councillors who see themselves as part of a team, a completely new base on which the Conservative Party in Montgomeryshire can fight the next General and Assembly Elections. For the first time, I really can see the try line in sight.