Blog
The luck of Lord Archer
I had no idea when I saw Lord Archer speak in Cambridge last Friday that he had recently been operated on for prostate cancer. He was his usual exuberant and confident self, repeatedly saying how thankful he was for his luck which led to his phenomenally successful...
Introducing The Shop Girls
I am counting the weeks now till the publication on 25 September of my book, The Shop Girls. It is a heartfelt and dramatic collection of memoirs of young women who worked in an upmarket Cambridge ladies department store during the 1940s-60s called Heyworth's which...
Why we urgently need new liver disease biomarkers
Liver disease rarely makes the headlines, yet it is one of the leading causes of human mortality, resulting in almost 2 million deaths per year globally – many of which could be prevented by early detection. There are over 100 types of liver disease, which together...
A relaxing Ragdale Hall break
"Can I stay an extra night?" Nancy pleaded with the receptionist at the end of her short break at Ragdale Hall spa. Nancy has been a regular visitor there for 25 years, but with all the best will in the world, her wish could not be met as the spa was full! I was...
Clones, Darwin’s granddaughter and a popular politician
Reading about Britain's first cloned dog today reminded me of what the celebrated literary critic, Prof John Carey, said at the splendid Cambridge Literary Festival last weekend where he was giving his new book, The Unexpected Professor, a plug. He was asked to name...
The Sunday Times Cancer Campaign
I count myself lucky to live near Cambridge. If I ever need treatment for cancer, I feel confident that I would be given the best care by oncologists at Addenbrooke's Hospital. I certainly wouldn't want to go to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn which is on...
Why we need patient data sharing for medical advancement
All around the world scientists are collaborating to discover early diagnosis for diseases and new therapies which will enable us to live longer, healthier lives. To enable this researchers need to access as much patient data as possible to learn from. George Freeman...
The PR Masterclass
It's great to read a PR book by a fellow journalist, and in The PR Masterclass, Alex Singleton gives some useful insights into the right way for PR professionals to approach hacks. At first Alex, a former Daily Telegraph journalist, is scathing about PR ignorance,...
The new Paddocks House Hotel, Newmarket
I love the fact that the new Paddocks House Hotel in Newmarket was financed by Eastern Counties Finance, a private lending company which supports agricultural and rural businesses. Why worry about seeking support from hostile banks when savvy Matthew Smart and his...