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16 December 2005: Completion of the first phase of a project to review and develop a sports clubs accreditation scheme for SportScotland.

4 December 2005:  Keswick Street Theatre perform another play in the style of The Vicar of Dibley as part of the town's Victorian Fair, with all proceeds going to the Pakistani Earthquake appeal.   

18 November 2005:  Delivery of the Board Development Programme to the trustees of St Luke's Hospice in Plymouth.    

16 November 2005:  To Newcastle to watch a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Greg Doran and performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company.  This is a magnificent production, full of visual jokes, stunning effects, and an amazingly clever set - including an ever-changing three-dimensional sun/moon arching across the sky.  

15 November 2005:  Commencement of a contract for Help the Hospices to create an online guide for individuals and professionals to bereavement, based on the experience of knowledge developed throughout the hospice movement.

5 November 2005: Annual General Meeting and Dinner of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club at the Shap Wells Hotel - the last before the centenary celebrations start next year.  

3 November 2005: NCVO conference at the London Stock Exchange for board chairs and chief executives on Strategic Leadership attended on behalf of Help the Hospices as part of the governance programme. 

26 October 2005: The Edward Carpenter Community agrees our proposals to run on gay men's week on the theme of Living Authentically as Gay Men, from 10-17 June 2006 at Laurieston Hall, Dumfries and Galloway.  Bookings will open early in 2006, but an enquiry list is now being maintained.  Advance information about the week is now available online.  

18 October 2005: Completion of the consultancy report for the Mountaineering Council of Scotland on the organisational review and office management arrangements.   

6 October 2005: Working with the Sports Council for Wales to identify their requirements for an online resource to support sports club development allied to the Help for Clubs website, followed by a session with Tennis Wales to review progress on their Modern Sport programme conducted last year.   

27-29 September 2005:  The first national Hospice Care conference organised by Help the Hospices presented a very wide range of plenary, workshop and briefing sessions to over 600 trustees and senior staff.  It offered a useful opportunity to present the revised programmes on hospice governance and to work with users on identifying some of the current issues in this area.   

14-21 September 2005:  Second phase of research and writing of a series of case studies on sports club development for SportScotland illustrating the significant steps in building and maintaining a thriving club.  The case studies will complement the first series and be published shortly on the Help for Clubs website.   

10 September 2005:  The last day of the croquet season for Keswick Croquet Club sees the annual handicap competition for the Borrowdale Mallet.  

9 September 2005:  Final stage in the project to redesign the small rear garden at The Archway is completed today with the arrival and planting of around 80 plants, mostly grasses and evergreens.

1 September 2005:  Commencement of consultancy work with the Mountaineering Council of Scotland to draft input on their strategic planning and budgeting, and to provide direct office management support.   

17-24 August 2005: Another 'traditional' gay men's week at Laurieston Hall, Castle Douglas bringing together members of the Edward Carpenter Community in a series of informal workshops and events.

17 July - 6 August 2005:  After more than a year of planning, this is a major east-to-west traverse of the High Atlas mountain massif in Morocco.  The Atlas mountains are a chain of similar height to the Alps in Europe.  Broken into several massifs, they separate the northern plains from the Sahara desert. The landscapes are rough, arid, and shattered with only limited vegetation; the central mountains hold snow until early summer and have given rise to one ski resort and some good winter climbing.  Villages are sparse and the valleys are occupied by nomadic groups of Berbers with large flocks of sheep and goats who migrate north from the Sahara for the thin summer pasture.  The traverse began in the rugged Alt Bougamez with an ascent of Irghil Mgoun (4,070 metres) and ended in the more populous central massif with an ascent of Jebel Toubkal (4,168 metres), the highest summit in North Africa.  The total traverse involved a continuous 280 kilometres, and nearly 12,000 metres of ascent and descent.

15 July 2005:  The latest book by Oriah Mountain Dreamer is perhaps her most thoughtful and inspirational writing to date.  In What We Ache For: creativity and the unfolding of your soul she explores her own process of creative writing.  The opening paragraph sets the tone by linking spirituality, sexuality and creativity as the three essential expressions of the human soul.  By being willing to engage in creative work, and not separating it from our spirituality or our sexuality "we add a life-sustaining breath to the world".  This book differs from the three earlier prose poems by including practical contemplations, questions and creative exercises at the end of each chapter.  The book offers one route to exploring and fulfilling some of the deeper human aches that lie close to the inner souls of many of us.    

11/12 July 2005: Delivery of the Modern Sport programme to the board of Scottish Equestrian Association in Stirling, with particular emphasis on developing effective board and executive staff procedures.   

9/10 July 2005: Planning Meet for the Fell and Rock Centenary, held at Birkness, and focusing primarily on final arrangements for the Centenary Banquet in 2006 and detailed plans for the main exhibition in 2007.   

5 July 2005: Further updates to the Help for Clubs website to include new material on board and committee structures for effective strategic governance and operational management.    

1/2 July 2005:  Preparation and training weekend for the High Atlas Traverse involving all seven participants meeting here in Keswick for a weekend of mountaineering and planning.

26 June 2005:  Delivery of the Modern Sport seminar to members of the Council for the Canoe Association of Northern Ireland, in Belfast. 

14-19 July 2005:  Delivery of a strategic planning workshop with the executive committee of the embryonic Indian Association of Palliative Care in Chennai, India.  With almost a fifth of the world's population and a diverse range of cultures and languages, the provision of pain relief and palliative care presents many issues.  This workshop focused on the development of national policies, education and training programmes, advocacy services and building the organisation's infrastructure.   

4-11 June 2005: After a year of planning the Spirituality and Intimacy week finally runs with 40 men of the Edward Carpenter Community at Laurieston Hall near Castle Douglas.  With nearly fifty workshop throughout the week, including approaches to spirituality, sacred spaces, body energy, circle dancing, male encounters, looking and touching, breath work, intimacy and deservedness, this was a powerful and often challenging week for many of us.  

31 May 2005: The public dress rehearsal for the new season's performances was preceded by the presentation of cheques to the Fitz Park Trust for the rebuilding of the Wyvill Bridge and to the National Trust for replanting of trees, both destroyed in January's great storm

26 May 2005: After several aborted flights due to poor weather conditions for flying, this evening created near-perfect conditions for a long-promised hot air balloon trip across the southern Lake District.  Taking off from a launch site near Lakeside on the south-west shore of Windermere, our flight took us north-eastwards across Windermere towards Crook at altitudes ranging from 500ft to 2,000ft.

23 May 2005: Saturday is the latest book by Ian McEwan, and surely destined to become a classic.  The story of one day in the life of a 48-year old hospital consultant has overtones in its format of other authors, but both the setting and the style are uniquely McEwan's.  The way in which he gets inside the thought processes, reactions and behaviours of his male character make the book remarkable.  And the events recorded in the fourth part of the book at both traumatic and compelling at the same time; they make the text impossible to put down at this point.  It's a truly satisfying read.     

18 May 2005: Probably the best exploratory book on gay spirituality that I've come across is Two Flutes Playing: a spiritual journeybook for gay men by Andrew Ramer.  Originally published in the 1990's the book has recently been re-published.  Through a channeling process, Ramer provides an amazing series of prose essays covering the extensive history of men loving men: traditional roles, temples, rites, sacred groves, intimate relations, mythology, earth/spirit connections, as well as exploring our unique role in a range of different situations.  This book is having a profound influence on my thinking about my own future role and contribution. 

6-20 May 2005:  Two weeks of glorious walking and sunning in the Canaries on the wonderful protected island of La Gomera.  First week in HPB resort at El Balcon da Santa Ana near Playa Santiago, with excellent facilities and a wonderful botanic garden.  Second week with Edward Carpenter Community members staying in Valle Gran Rey, walking in different areas of the island.

2 May 2005:  Final details, programme and joining instructions for the Spirituality and Intimacy gay men's week at Laurieston Hall on 4-11 June published.   

16-23 April 2005:  Away for a retreat week at the Findhorn Community on the Moray coast participating in a group event on the 'gay man's inner journey'; a week of meditation, discussion, play, music, contemplation and experimentation.     

8 April 2005:  Completion of a three-month project to design, create and edit the new 'Help for Clubs' website aimed at providing a comprehensive online resource centre for all sports clubs.  The content includes guidance, good practice and downloadable templates to enable anyone engaged in running a sports club to improve their effectiveness and develop the activities within their club.      

2/3 April 2005: Delivery of the Modern Sport programme to the executive committee of the Scottish Sub Aqua Club at Stirling Management Centre, focused on board roles and responsibilities and longer-term strategic planning for the organisation.   

20 March 2005:  A glorious spring day of warm sunshine to climb Buachaille Etive Mor and then over the subsidiary summits of Stob na Doire, Stob Coire Altruim to reach Stob na Broig, the final mountain promoted to 'Munro' status in 1997.  This is the only promoted hill not previously ascended.  

17-24 March 2005: Conducting interviews with various sports clubs throughout Scotland to generate some case studies about club development processes for publication on the Help for Clubs website.  Staying at the HPB development at Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Arkray in the Trossachs.    

23 February - 10 March 2005:  My "gap era" commences with a self-organised trip to Thailand. After two days sweltering in the tropical heat and gridlocked traffic of Bangkok, visiting the Grand Palace, Wat Po, markets and other sites along the river, it's off to Chiangmai by 13-hour overnight train. Chiangmai is utterly different - laidback, relaxing, comfortable and a shoppers paradise. Several days spent in the jungle walking between Hmong and Karen hill tribe villages, sleeping in bamboo huts and swimming in the waterfalls. Then back to Bangkok for a final few days.   Highlights of the trip include: Grand Palace in Bangkok, Wat Po and the Reclining Buddha, night bazaars, Babylon men's spa and barracks, elephant riding, Karen hill-tribe villages, jungle trekking, and the people.      

22 February 2005:  Completion of a revised instrument for governing body investment assessment on behalf of SportScotland

21 February 2005:  Final day of work as Director of Best Practice with Sift.  This brings to an end over seven years of engagement with this internet services company, founding the highly successful trainingzone.co.uk and hrzone.co.uk communities, establishing the Sift Services and best practice programmes, and working with a wide range of external clients on aspects of online community and collaboration development.  Today also marks the start of my "gap era" period of travel and a range of other projects in the months ahead.

18 February 2005: Second contract awarded for the further development of the Help for Clubs website and resource library on behalf of SportScotland.  This will include a series of case studies on facilities developments by a range of local sports clubs, based on research and club interviews. 

15 February 2005:  Following the organisers planning weekend in Keswick, the draft programme is now published for the Spirituality and Intimacy week running at Laurieston Hall from 4-11 June 2005.    

9 February 2005:  Workshop facilitation for SportScotland with 20 staff to consider their sports investment planning processes, including appropriate criteria and quality consistency procedures.

6/8 February 2005: Work in London with 42 staff from The British Council offices around the world as part of a Transformational Leadership programme to implement the Council's 2010 Strategy.  The programme included some inspirational presentations on modern Leadership, visits to major information and resource centres including the British Library, and a series of practical workshops for self-development and application.

4/6 February 2005:  Annual social get-together for Framework members, hosted this year by Mary in Bristol.

3 February 2005:  Booking form and scale of charges for the Spirituality and Intimacy gay men's week run by the Edward Carpenter Community on 4-11 June at Laurieston Hall, now available online.    

28-31 January 2005:  Glorious winter weather of clear skies and bright sunshine at the end of a week of walking opportunities in and around Keswick.  It's great to enjoy the physical exercise, the thinking time, the walking meditation, and the opportunity to reflect and live in the present. 

23 January 2005:  Day seminar for the Board of North Northumberland Hospice to deliver the Board Development Programme focussing on the five key roles of the board, and increasing the effectiveness of their structures and working arrangements.     

14 January 2005:  Announcement of a contract win by the Scottish Executive for Sift to maintain and operate the Rural Community Gateway Website for a further 18 month period.

17-21 January 2005:  Creation and content editing of the 'Help for Clubs' area within the SportScotland website, involving design and structure of the pages using Microsoft Content Management System, and uploading of around 80 pages of content, to be published live in March 2005.    

8 January 2005: The Great Keswick Storm.  Over the past 24 hours, four to five inches of rain have fallen on the northern Lakes.  After midnight, the windspeeds increased to storm force with gusts of up to 90mph.  The result was a night of destruction now witnessed in this area for at least 40 years.  At one point in the night the town was cut-off by road.  Many houses and the main supermarket have been seriously flooded.  A great many roofs, chimneys, gardens and walls have been damaged.  To date there has been no loss of life, but we have lost: several hundred large trees and very many small trees, at least one lake launch, one television repeater station, one bridge over the river.  The Borrowdale Valley is currently closed. 

1 January 2005:  A new year, and another chance to take stock of where I'm going.  Last year was successful and rewarding.  My developmental themes were focused on (a) living and working in greater balance, and (b) enjoying all of life's many opportunities more spontaneously.  Well, I feel I did pretty well overall.  This year, two new life themes have emerged.  'Living with Paradox' is about expanding possibility within my universe: things do not have to be constrained by either/or if we allow apparent dualistic elements to be reframed as both/and and to co-exist within a larger universe.  It's fun; and it's amazing just how many paradoxes there around around all the time.  'Experiencing Bliss' links to the growing awareness of Buddhist elements in how we live, and the essential core concept of living-as-I-truly am.  With major work changes (and deliberate voids) created for the near future, it will be an equally engaging new year.