Tourettes Awareness Challenge Day 5 – Winchester – Salisbury – Exeter

Day 5 – Winchester – Salisbury – Exeter It’s hard to believe that this time next week we’ll be at home with our families. The time has just flown. We began today in the historic and extremely beautiful city of Winchester where the huge statue of King Alfred looks down the main street. We met our hosts from the City Council at the magnificent Guildhall, which has been preserved on the outside and tastefully converted into a modern conference centre and café on the inside.

We met Lorraine Ronan, Head of Health and Wellbeing, together with the authority’s Heads of Communications and Organizational Development. After the presentation of information and a quick photo shoot below King Alfred, we continued our meeting over delicious bacon butties and a cuppa, and Donna’s cousin and her daughter joined us. It was very hard to leave, as the Council representatives had such a thirst for information. After promises of a press release and digital dissemination, and hugs all round, we left for the nearby city of Salisbury. Julia from Salisbury was standing in the street waiting to direct us to our parking spot right in front of the Guildhall in the Square. We were greeted by the Mayor’s Consort, Councillor Brown, and the Clerk to the Council, as well as the photographer from the local newspaper – and just got inside the Guildhall before the heavens opened with heavy rain. We enjoyed excellent discussions, and were told of the Council’s intention not only to circulate the information digitally within the authority and to Partner organisations, but also the intention to discuss Tourettes at a forthcoming meeting of the Council. We were delighted – and also really pleased to get a look at the old wooden court in the Guildhall, where many found guilty were deported to the colonies or sentenced to death.

Liz drove us on to Exeter, where we met with the Lord Mayor Cllr Rachel Lions – a retired nurse who is quite familiar with Tourette Syndrome. Joining us in the Mayor’s meeting room were Louise Higginbottom and her son Elliott from the Exeter Tourettes Action Support Group, which is in its formative months. The Lord Mayor immediately undertook to circulate the information in the presentation pack, and also to issue a press release and photograph.

She also gave us a useful tip for further raising of both awareness and funds – for Tourettes Action Support Groups to contact their local authorities and request to be considered to become a beneficiary of the Mayoral Charity of the Year. After photographs beneath the Peace Tree in the Civic Centre gardens, we bid the Lord Mayor farewell, and went off for a quick bite of lunch in Exeter.

Everyone we met today from the Councils was extremely engaged about Tourettes, and we finished our appointments very heartened. Then we had our “incident of the day” when Liz was confronted by an angry man in a garage, who commented on her driving and – looking at her T-shirt – said he could tell she had Tourettes and shouldn’t be driving a car. Ahem! Red rag to a bull – and, although Liz tried – the poor guy was too far gone for an awareness-raising opportunity. Sadly, dyed-in-the-wool bigot. This evening we are in Truro – and are – geographically – half way through our Challenge. From our start in the North East, we have now reached the South West tip of England. From tomorrow we start working our way back up the western side of the country. Over our fish and chip supper tonight at the Brewers Fayre next door, we reflected on the overwhelming response we have received during the first half of our Challenge.