29/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

I never thought that i would be going back to the City of Joy so soon without my mother. Yesterday, i saw my grandfather who spent hi birthday with me at Cranfield Airport. I am glad i got to do that before i leave for India. As a present, i secretly arranged a special flying lesson to take him over his house and the area where he lived with my grandmother.

It does feel scary to be going back to Kolkata. I really do not know how i will react, but i feel i must return. I would love to go back to the city of my birth with my mother, sister and grandfather, but that trip will have to wait. for now i am going back on a voyage of personal discovery.

During the week, i have been nicely distracted with work i have been doing with bands at glastonbury music festival, freedom wings and seeing really good friends who i wanted to see before i left. Alongside all this activity, i have been reading really interesting documents about my past, the adoption process and it has surprised me. It took so much work to organise the adoption.

Not really sure what else to say - waiting for my taxi, it is a dark grey morning, weather forecast in Kolkata is rain, thunder and not very nice, spoke to the missionaries of charity sister christie just now - converting music for my mp3 player - having the right to listen to whilst meandering around the city will be helpful

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29/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

10 young carers from Spurgeons joined us for the day to take flying lessons. Here is a slideshow with music - if you wish to view the webpage and a slideshow without music please click on the group image below…

to view to the slideshow without music click on this image….

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26/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

One of my close friends William got married at the weekend. It was a very very cool wedding. It was great to see old friends and make new friends. My initial plan was to fly from Cranfield to Chichester which was only 8 miles away from the wedding venue which was Hampshire Cottage - An amazing home owned by Rupert who has become a friend. Rupert is a lawyer, photographer and philanthropist doing amazing work in Bangladesh.

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25/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

SPURGEONS TAKES OFF WITH FREEDOM IN THE AIR

On 28th June 2008 10 young carers from Spurgeons will be taking to the skies for the day!

With the aid of Freedom in the Air, Cranfield Flight Training and TA Aviation, the kids will take off from Cranfield Airport. As well as being introduced to the basics of flight, the children will be given a presentation on flying, a tour of a static aeroplane led by an experienced pilot, and a demonstration of the workings of the aircraft.

Spurgeons is one of the UK’s largest Christian charities working with children, young people and families.  They want to see a world where all children and young people have hope for their future, the ability to make choices and are excited about the opportunities before them.

From giving children in care in the UK a voice in their own future, to supporting AIDS orphans in Africa, Spurgeons exists to create opportunities for vulnerable children and young people to find hope and transformation now and fulfilment in their future.

There are a staggering number of young carers who struggle to look after younger siblings or parents who are unable to care for them due to a disability. Read the rest of this entry »

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25/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

I love the fact that this airport in Kolkata is known as Dum Dum. I will be very much looking forward to seeing how the airport has changed if it has changed since 1995 when i was last there. I heard from my mother recently that i used to live in a orphanage near the airport. I am about to embark on a momentous and emotional trip to back Kolkata. Perhaps because i used to live near an airport, my love for all things aeroplane and aviation related was instilled in me back then. I fly out from Gatwick with Emirates to Dubai and return to Heathrow. First time flying with Emirates and first time transiting in Dubai.

When i recently met with Polly Vacher, she had some good stories to tel about her time at this Airport during her round the world flight. Maybe one day i too can experience the joys of Indian administration during my round the world flight.

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25/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

The Menier Chocolate Factory opened in 2004 and later that year had its first West End transfer (Fully Committed). It has received numerous awards including the prestigious Evening Standard Theatre award for Outstanding Newcomer 2005.

Throughout its history, the building has been inspired by both individuality and the pursuit of quality. Built in 1870 to house a chocolate factory, this unique space now comprises an art gallery, restaurant and theatre. Having maintained the original exposed wooden beams, unusual cast iron columns and an amazing brick feature interior.

Full Circle will be exhibiting between 13th October - 19th October 2008. Gautam Lewis of Freedom in the Air will  photograph the locations of his early childhood in Kolkata, India for a London photo exhibit coinciding with World Polio Day: 24 October. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Disability news, Good causes, Media, images | Print | 1 Comment »

18/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Rageh Omaar presents Witness, a half-hour daily documentary series on Al Jazeera network which features short, specially commissioned or acquired films gathered from independent film-makers.

Each documentary reveals the unknown lives of ordinary people, following their lives, telling their stories and portraying the challenges that confront them.

The witnesses are people in a situation or those who have observed them first hand. Jo head will be making a film for Witness about Gautam’s travel back to Kolkata where he will be taking photographs for an exhibition to coincide with World Polio Day ; Oct 24th 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

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17/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Gautam Lewis will photograph the locations of his early childhood in Kolkata, India for a London photo exhibit coinciding with World Polio Day: 24 October.

The exhibit, entitled “Full Circle” will focus on Rotary’s worldwide efforts to eradicate polio, and will feature Gautam’s story, as a polio survivor from London who traveled to his birthplace of India to immunize children against the disease.

“Full Circle” will include a mix of Gautam’s childhood photos juxtaposed with new photos he takes in Kolkata. It will also include photos of Gautam immunizing children against polio by photographer Jean-Marc Giboux, interspersed with Jean-Marc’s photos of children being immunized in remote regions of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Full Circle exhibition will run between Oct 13th – 19th 2008 at the Menier Gallery, London.

Posted in Rotary International, Disability news, People, images, Music | Print | No Comments »

15/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Article featured in The Limbless Association’s 25th Anniversary issue of their magazine, Step Forward. The organisation’s acting CEO Ray Edwards has started his NPPL training with Mike Willoughby at Cranfield.

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14/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

During the week, I went to meet Sebastian Pooley and his Cousin James Bailey at their Elstree base. I had hoped to fly there as it would have been very cool to fly to a meeting for the first time. Elstree is not what i expected. There are a lot of GA aircraft there and it is hidden away down some country lanes, surrounded by lots of trees. It was nice to meet Sebastian and James who between them seem to run Pooleys incredibly well. We discussed many things including ideas for doing things together in the future.

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12/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

One women in aviation who i deeply admire is called Suzi Duncan. She lives in Melbourne, Australia and is herself a pilot with lower limb disability. She is also a flying instructor and an inventor. She designed the Vision air hand control which helps pilots with lower limb disabilities to operate the rudder and ground steering of a PA28. We have become friends and she has helped me and mentors me with my flying. She helped set up Wheelies with Wings in Australia, visit their site…

Posted in inspiring, People, Hand Controls, Film, History | Print | No Comments »

11/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Various versions of the Smiling Wings slideshow and movie depending on what operating system you use can be viewed by clicking on the below links.

- Click on the image to play Smiling Wings Movie

- Picture Slideshow

Quick time movie version with music
Flash 8 versions with music
Html slideshow without music

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11/06/2008 by Mr Shoe Wingtips.

Aviation Without Borders (AWB) hosted its third ‘Introduction to Aviation Day’ of the year at Cranfield Aerodrome, situated between Bedford and Milton Keynes, on Friday 6th June. The day is named, for obvious reasons, Smiling Wings day, and was supported by EADS, Cranfield Flight Training and TA Flight Training.

Smiling Wings days introduce disadvantaged or disabled youngsters to general aviation. Our guests on the 6th were children from the Disability Resource Centre accompanied by siblings, parents, grandparents, carers and ‘cheer leading’ school friends. Also joining in the fun from the Disability Resource Centre were the Chairperson, Mick Dillon and the Information Manager, Liz Morgan.

The day at Cranfield began at 1030 when Goaty Lewis welcomed the group to the airfield. Goaty, himself a disabled pilot with a PPL, is AWB’s volunteer for Smiling Wings and Read the rest of this entry »

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