I am looking forward to receiving my copy of the bumper Cambridge Phenomenon book hot off the press any day now. It marks the extraordinary history surrounding the cluster of innovation, technology and life science companies operating in and around our beautiful university city over the last 50 years.

There are now around 1,000 technology and biotechnology companies in the cluster and more than 40,000 people have come to the Cambridge region to work for these companies, providing a considerable boom to the local economy.

I helped promote the book at the end of last year when it was announced that Bill Gates was writing its forward, and everyone said how keen they were to see the book. It won’t be long now.

Unfortunately, I am away for its launch party next Tuesday, but I wish Charles Cotton and Kate Kirk every success and congratulate them on a terrific achievement.

I don’t think we can comprehend the difference which technology will make to our lives in the next 50 years. Will we have started to colonise space, I wonder? How over populated will our planet be? Will the average life span be 120?

I’m sure whatever happens, Cambridge will remain a phenomenon.

*Do look out for my daily blog updates from Champneys boot camp – if I have the strength – starting tomorrow!