Twitter ban for Lent: 19 days and counting...

I'm not going to lie to you, giving up Twitter for Lent has been one of the hardest things I have ever had to do but I am determined to make sure I see it through to Easter Sunday.

When I decided to give it up for Lent, I knew it was going to be difficult and the first few days were by far the toughest. It was very interesting, however, to see how many times during the first 72 hours I picked up my iPhone and my finger hovered just above the Twitter application. Thankfully I did not crack in these early stages but I think a busy week at work and the constant barracking from a colleague that I would "never do it" really helped me.

As I am sure you know, Sundays are exempt in Lent because they are "feast days" so when the first Sunday arrived it was such a relief to be able to catch up on what people on the world of Twitter have been up to and update my status to my followers - which have grown in number since I left Twitter! (Maybe less is more?)

Sundays have and I am sure will continue to prove useful in helping me in my quest - I just hope I don't appear to be bombarding everyone's Tweet deck! I am sure you would tell me if I were?

The one thing this experience has shown me already is that I might be a little bit obsessed with the wonderful world of Twitter and it will be interesting to see how much I use it on a day-to-day basis once Lent is over.

I have also had a couple of sponsors for my Twitter silence but it would still be great if others could also sponsor me with the money going towards the Bobby Moore Fund's Project Namibia. You can help me keep focused by clicking here and donating something as small as £5 or by pledging to donate once I complete the challenge. Any pledges can be sent to davidblackmore@hotmail.co.uk with the subject headline of Twitter ban for Lent.

It has proven to be a really difficult challenge so far but I am sure that now I have got past the initial stage of temptation, I will be able to complete this quest.

How many tricks can you teach a young whippersnapper?

I have been very fortunate that I have been thrown in front of a camera and told to "present my socks off" for a couple of videos for the EDP website this month.

With the role of the modern day news reporter constantly evolving to embrace new technology and to reach out to a new audience, I jumped at the chance to turn my hand to a spot of presenting.

My first assignment was to go to Snettisham in West Norfolk earlier this month to interview a few villagers after an outrageous 'review' of the Rose and Crown by restaurant critic AA Gill published in the Sunday Times in which he described the county as "the hernia on the end of England".

Despite it being a freezing cold afternoon, I really enjoyed my first taste of life in front of the camera and here is the result:

Video: Norfolk residents hit back at restaurant critic AA Gill

After a couple of positive comments, pats on the back and a little constructive criticism, I was looking forward to getting another chance to get back in front of the camera for a new video.

My chance came yesterday afternoon when the FA Vase trophy arrived at The Walks - the home of King's Lynn Town FC. The trophy was brought up from Wembley and arrived at the ground at around 1pm giving the management a closer look at it ahead of Town's FA Vase semi-final first leg against Coalville Town on Saturday.

Despite a media frenzy and a primary school class turning up at exactly the wrong time to pose with the trophy, I managed to get an interview with joint boss Gary Setchell on camera and all my bits in front of the camera in one take - here is the result:


Exclusive video: King’s Lynn Town FC welcomes FA Vase trophy to The Walks






I appreciate that neither of these videos are of professional quality but I am proud of them. I hope my bosses also like them and decide to unleash me around my patch to make more videos soon..!

Major hurdle reached in Project Namibia quest but more sponsors are needed

So it has been three weeks since I last told you about my fundraising efforts for the Bobby Moore Fund's Project Namibia but to be honest it has only been in the last few days that I have got back the momentum I had been lacking at the start of the month.

The biggest news from my point of view is that I have reached the 80% target of £3,200. All of the participants on the project have to raise that money by April 1 to secure their place and I was getting a little bit worried about hitting that first major hurdle.

But a couple of large donations backed by a handful of smaller ones from friends and family has helped me hit that target with a week to spare. My justgiving page looks better every time I visit it but I do still need more sponsors. It does only take a couple of minutes to donate via my justgiving page and it doesn't need to be a huge amount. As the Tesco catchphrase constantly reminds us: "Every little helps" and the money you donate is split between bowel cancer research and giving children in Namibia a chance of a better education - I am sure you would agree both are worthwhile causes.

As well as my fundraising efforts being published onto journalist website HoldTheFrontPage, I have appeared in both my local newspapers; Fenland Citizen and Wisbech Standard. I have also had my stories published on their websites:

Outwell footballer is Africa-bound - Fenland Citizen

Fenland village footballer to help revamp African school in Bobby Moore Fund project - Wisbech Standard

I am delighted that both newspapers gave lots of space for both words and pictures. I have already had a few donations from their readers and I have been contacted by people offering to help me raise the rest of the money which is fantastic.

In addition, I have been sent a cheque by Michael and Wendy Foot who know all about raising money for charity as founders of the Robert Foot Leukaemia Fund. The couple set up the fund after their son died in 2002 and they have worked so hard to raise more than £110,000 to help patients in the Samaritan Ward, Guys Hospital, in London, Shouldham Ward and McMillian Day Unit, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Kings Lynn and the Teenage Cancer Trust at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge.

Michael was very interested when I originally told him about my fundraising efforts and he has given me plenty of support and guidance throughout my fundraising drive. I was delighted and a little surprise when on top of everything he has already done for me, he posted me a cheque to go towards my target. I would just like to say a massive thank you to the pair of them and I hope to see Michael on the stands at Wisbech Town FC soon.

I have been in talks with a few more West Norfolk and Cambridgeshire organisations to get some more sponsorship and I hope to have a few more cheques by the start of April. I am keeping my fingers crossed  for these donations and hope to tell you all about how wonderful these organisations are soon.

I am interested, however, to see if there are any other companies out there who might be able to help me with a few items I need for the trip as a way of sponsorship. There is quite an extensive list of things I need so if you might be able to help or know anyone I should perhaps get in touch with drop me an e-mail: davidblackmore@hotmail.co.uk.

I am still finding that the first question people are asking me is: "How is your fundraising going?" I continue to be amazed by how many people have shown an interest in what I will be doing in Namibia and why I am doing it. Long may that continue!

Finally, I have got a few fundraising events lined up for the coming months with one possibly seeing me take part in an endurance test I will struggle to complete but I will only reveal all once I have got confirmed details.

all my children cita blackberry playbook osprey mike anderson mildred pierce amazon app store william shatner dancing with the stars susan b anthony world water day

I'm giving up Twitter for Lent -- Gasp!!

When it came to deciding what to give up for Lent this year there really was only one thing that I would struggle to give up for 40 days and 40 nights.


In years gone by I have given up alcohol, chocolate and crisps but because I don't regularly indulge in these three items (shhh!) I found it too easy to give them up from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday.


So with a Goddaughter to set an example for, I wanted to make sure I gave up something I would struggle to live without on a day-to-day basis and that could only Twitter.


I freely admit to being a Twitaholic and rarely an hour goes by where I am not checking what the world of Twitter has to offer or updating my status so that my 320+ followers can see what I am up to.


I think this is going to be a difficult challenge and it is one I wish I wasn't doing so it is going to be interesting to see how I cope. I have already been told by various people that I'm setting myself up to fail but I've told them I can be pretty determined when I want to be.


I have also decided to appeal to YOU all to help me in my Twitter silence by sponsoring me with the money going towards the Bobby Moore Fund's Project Namibia. You can help keep me focused by visiting www.justgiving.com/davidblackmore4 and sponsoring something as small as £5 or £1 for everyday I stay off Twitter!


Now the rules. As I am sure you know the six Sundays leading up to Holy Saturday don't count in Lent so I can assure you I will be tweeting like mad on those days. I am also going to keep my blog posts feeding into Twitter because it does that automatically and I am not giving up blogging -- just micro-blogging! I have also decided I can Tweet if it is work-related; for example covering a council meeting. I will, however, leave it up to my bosses to dictate when I am allowed to use Twitter for work.


Finally, my only real concern in all of this is how many followers (which I've worked so hard to build up!) I'm going to lose between now and Easter Sunday :(

The arrival of Oscar Michael Christopher Watson into this world

So my pregnant friend Kirsty came to visit just for the day recently but little did I/we know what was going to happen late into the evening. She arrived in the afternoon of February 27 having been to see her partner's family in Swaffham and we went into Lynn to watch the Carling Cup Final before coming back to my flat to settle down for the evening.

Kirsty was already past her due date when she arrived in Norfolk but it still did come as a little surprise when her water broke just before 11pm and we rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn. However it wasn't until March 1 that Oscar Michael Christopher Watson arrived into this world.

The whole experience was really exciting - for me at least - and when I get that adrenaline rush there is nothing I like doing more than Tweeting! Here is how I covered the "event" on Twitter:

Tweet Feed excerpts:

It appears I am off to hospital - my friend, who has come up for the day, is now going into labour!! QEH maternity here we come :) #BabyTime

I've been told not to drive too fast as we head to QEH in Kings Lynn! #BabyTime

I was just glad my friend's water broke after the West Ham V Liverpool highlights - must be a boy :) #BabyTime

Mother & baby safely delivered to QEH - now just trying to find a parking space & loose change! Going to be a long night :) #BabyTime

Used too much change on parking so now on hunt for a cash machine & somewhere to buy a coke and get change! #BabyTime

After a mad dash around Lynn & buying two cans of coke from Golden Grill on Loke Road I'm back at the QEH..! #BabyTime

You may be wondering why two cans? It's never too early to have your first CocaCola :) Joking!! #BabyTime

Trying to find the delivery suite is proving to be a bit of a nightmare - I'm determined to find it though :) #BabyTime

Just to add if it's a boy the name will be Oscar and it'll be Alexa if it's a girl - what do you think? #BabyTime

Delivery suite found but I have to wait outside because I'm not her "partner"..! Does friendship count for nothing these days?! #BabyTime

Just remembered it is the Oscars tonight - that combined with the water breaking after West Ham highlights = boy called Oscar! #BabyTime

Not sure what is going on in there; Is the baby coming? Was it a false alarm? So much waiting & hanging about! #BabyTime

One thing that I have discovered tonight/this morning is that hospital corridors are great for whistling :) #BabyTime

From what I can gather my friend may have time to travel back down south to have her baby - I'm confused! #BabyTime

I'm really poor in my birthing knowledge not helped by me not paying attention at school when this subject arose! #BabyTime

Two and a half hours into #BabyTime and no baby or screaming woman :( I'm truly disappointed!

FYI if my friend decides to travel back down south tonight she may give birth in the same hospital I was born in #incentive #BabyTime

Three hours into #BabyTime and back to my flat we go :( The baby is coming but not quite yet! Still it's been educational!

Everyone seems a bit down & very tired after all the excitement. I've left them talking to go to bed #Yawn #BabyTime

More than 12 hours after rushing to hospital but still nothing! It's a waiting game for my friend now who is quite uncomfortable #BabyTime

In case any of you were wondering my friend drank both cans of coke this morning :) One for her and the other for her baby! #BabyTime

Going by how much pain she is in, I am glad not to be a woman **Takes off hat to pregnant women & mums everywhere** #BabyTime


If my friend has her baby tomorrow it'll be on St David's Day :) Coincidence?! Surely David is a shout for middle name? #BabyTime


Almost 24 hours after her water broke, the contractions are getting stronger & are closer together -- almost time :) #BabyTime


I've also told my friend in honour of St David's Day the baby should have the middle name of either David or Davina :) #BabyTime


Decision for me to make: Go to hospital & sit around for hours outside delivery suite or just let friend and partner go alone? #BabyTime


I've decided not to go after all :( They are now heading towards the QEH to have a baby how exciting! #BabyTime


I don't usually leave my phone on at night but I think I will tonight! Really hoping for a boy now! #BabyTime


My final suggestion for the name if a boy was Oscar David Nelson Lynn Watson -- What do you all think? #BabyTime


Still no baby..! Friend was sent back here after an hour because she was only 1cm gone. They had to wake me up to come back in! #BabyTime


Not heard much noise from her since about 3am so they might have gone back to hospital -- **goes to check** #BabyTime


This has got to be the longest time any baby ever has stayed put after the water breaks! Almost 36 hours..! #BabyTime


My friend has gone into the QEH to be induced -- not surprised after more than 36 hours in labour! Hope it all goes well.. #BabyTime


Exciting news..! My friend is nearing the end of her LONG labour. Her partner is keeping me posted live from the scene #BabyTime


Still no baby..! This is getting ridiculous! I've been told it'll be out by 9pm - I really so for my friend's sake! #BabyTime


Great news..! Oscar Michael Christopher Watson was born @ 23:11 last night in Kings Lynn, weighing 8lb 10oz - finally! #BabyTime


Really happy for my friend and her partner after what must have been a nightmare couple of days for them. Nice name as well #BabyTime


Am going to see new-born Oscar later -- wonder if the new mummy will let me hold him? #BabyTime


Off to see baby Oscar at the QEH in Lynn&will try and get a Twitpic but not sure my friend will allow me to hold him - would you?! #BabyTime


Awww baby Oscar is so cute..! What do you think? #BabyTime http://twitpic.com/45d3b0

Tweet Feed ends

Project Namibia Fundraising Drive: Another Downham Market business pledges support

It has been encouraging that one of the first questions people have been asking me recently is: "How is your fundraising going?". The vast majority of these people have read about my fundraising drive either on Facebook or Twitter which I am really happy about and shows that at least the message of what I am doing and why I am doing it is getting out there.

I enjoyed a pretty good start to my fundraising drive and raised £520 pretty quickly but over the last week and a half, I have lost a little bit of the momentum which is slightly disappointing. It is probably more down to the fact that I've not had much time to focus on my fundraising recently than anything else but I am hoping a new month will bring new opportunities.

Despite the slight dip in momentum, I am still delighted by how many people have shown an interest in what I will be doing in Namibia and why I am doing it. I was over-the-moon to have received a cheque from the Downham Market Rotary Club last month and also really pleased with the support I have had from my colleagues at the Eastern Daily Press and Archant. I have been really impressed at how much support the company gives in helping employees raise as much money as possible for their chosen charity.

BREAKING  NEWS: I can announce that Liz Pendleton, from Downham Market's community website downhamweb, pledged to support me in my fundraising drive this week. Liz is also a partner at the brilliant Lingo Design, in Bridge Street, Downham Market. 

It is fantastic to be able to have someone like Liz backing me because she is a great person to bounce ideas off, has a lot of energy and was really a big influence on me signing up for this international project in the first place. Downhamweb is also gearing up to re-launch soon and Liz has said I will be able to have a feature page on the improved website which will be a great way to let the people of Downham know how my fundraising is going.

*You can help me raise money for bowel cancer research and to help children in Namibia by clicking here.*

I have also had my fundraising efforts published onto journalist website HoldTheFrontPage. The website has been very supportive of me in the past and I am so grateful they continue to support me. I have not seen a story about me in the Press Gazette or my local newspaper though :(

To read my latest story on HoldTheFrontPage click here 

I have also searched for my name on the website and these are the stories to have come up:

Reporter helps revamp African village school 

Reporter braves cold for football training in boxers 

Reporter joins fundraising bid in memory of Bobby 

Defence team bid to gag press talked down by trainee reporter