Embarrassment

This morning was the last stage of the Fairtrade Borough Roadshow - a visit to Thornaby market. The positioning of the trailer had been discussed with the markets manager and the driver on Monday and agreement reached. Imagine how I felt when I got there and found it occupying two disabled parking bays. An e-mail to the events team elicited the response that they couldn't park anywhere else because everywhere else was full! Reluctantly I started erecting the display. I could have saved my energy. The only people willing to engage with us were the people who wanted to protest about us parking there. In the end we packed up early and asked the events team to come and take the trailer away early. I hope they did! I've told the corporate director what happened so that if any of the public complain as they threatened to, to the press or police, he knows what the story is.
Fortunately this afternoon brought better news - the deportations to the Congo have been stopped until the review of country guidance takes place. I just hope the review is an honest one.