Michael Hobson from my parish is training hard this summer at at St Mary's, Twickenham, under the guidance of his coach Craig Winrow. Michael runs the 800m and 1500m distances and recently notched up a personal best of 4min 01.2 for the 1500m. Michael is hoping to compete at the 2012 Olympics in London. You can read his latest BBC London diary entry here: Flourishing at St Mary's.A few years ago, we did a charity run on Christmas Day. I was not surprised to have been left quite far behind by Michael who was a young teenager at the time. I expect he would make the rest of us look rather silly now!
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Dear Father Finigan
Michael's fitness instructor profile on www.realrunners.co.uk makes for interesting reading too:
'Michael is one of our most popular and endearing in-school coaches. Currently based at St Marys University, Twickenham, and studying Sports Rehabilitation, this 800m and 1500m powerhouse is part of the mighty team Winrow. In his day, coach Winrow ran an incredible 1.45.69 for 800m and under he’s watchful eye Michael has already made huge improvements. Not surprisingly he has recently been snapped up by Kingston and Polytechnic to compete in the British Athletics League, a task which Michael is looking forward to.
In 2009, this devoted Millwall fan and long-standing Bexley AC member, began working on the Special Olympics, Richmond Project. This third Olympic movement has allowed Michael to work with young people with a number of disabilities on a weekly basis. Despite already holding a UKA level 2 coaching qualification and being an Elevating Athletics England Tutor, the opportunity has allowed Michael to develop into an even more remarkable coach than he already is!
There is no question that you will struggle to meet someone with more passion and energy for athletics than Michael. A reliable, dedicated, knowledgeable coach with unlimited enthusiasm.'
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Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us in London 2012 'City Challenge' times!
Dear Father Finigan
Michael's BBC Blog has been updated for November/December 2009, and you may wish to give it a mention once again on your Blog and the Parish website too http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8448000/8448646.stm
When Michael took me to visit St Mary's University College, Twickenham for the first time in 2008, we took Holy Communion together at Father Gerard Devlin's, St Patrick's Day Mass, in the University College’s Chapel.
Was St Mary's your father's Alma Mater too?
The Principal of St Mary’s University College, Dr Arthur Naylor, is to leave his post in the summer after eighteen years at the helm of one of England’s best known Catholic education establishments.
Appointed as the first lay Principal of the Twickenham-based University College after the withdrawal of the Vincentian priests in 1991, he has led the University College through a period of expansion in student numbers in new programmes and campus development.
He said: “I think that, overall, what I like most about where we are is that we have tried to keep true to what we are about. Education is central to what we do and Theology is important as a Church University College. Around that I think we have a good balance of academic programmes and research activity – whether it is the Humanities and the Human Sciences, which we have been involved in for a long time – or in Management or Media, which are relatively new programmes. And the importance of sports on the campus is well recognised nationally and internationally.”
Dr Naylor said that level and quality of recruitment were a source of great encouragement for his successor: “The numbers coming to Open Days, and the numbers of applications are very encouraging. I think that tells us that we have something quite distinctive to offer. In the last couple of years we have done well in the National Student Survey – and also in the independent staff survey that we did. These showed that this is a good place for both students and staff to be.”
Asked what he hoped people would say of his time as Principal, Dr Naylor added: “I would like people to say that, over that time, through a time of growth, expansion and change, St Mary’s maintained its ethos and character, its commitment to high academic standards and, as has been the case since its foundation in 1850, to wider access to education at all levels. I would like to think that whoever becomes Principal has a strong platform to work from in what will be challenging years ahead”.
Bishop George Stack, Chair of Governors, said today: "Generations of graduates of St Mary's University College have good reason to be grateful to Dr Arthur Naylor for his inspirational leadership, dedicated commitment and passionate concern for their social, spiritual and academic formation during their time at the University College. I am joined by my fellow Governors in recording the debt owed by the University College for his tenure as an outstanding Principal during a time of enormous change in the field of Higher Education."
Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us!
Dear Father Finigan
I contacted Pete Stevens the boss of the BBC Radio London 94.9 sports team earlier this week with the following update.....My son Michael Roy was interviewed by Steve Bunce, and he was kindly granted a BBC 2012 Blog : Michael Hobson's Diary : http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8516000/8516998.stm
Michael has been informed by his coach Craig Winrow that he will not make the grade as an Olympic 800m runner, but this disappointment has been outweighed with predictions from his tutor Lorna of a first class honours degree. Please let Buncey know that Michael's graduation ceremony from St Mary's University College, Twickenham +, is planned for Westminster Cathedral + on July 14th 2010. "Jam lucis orto sidere"
Michael is also a Millwall supporter, and his BBC Blog would be better if it were to be expanded to become a http://www.realrunners.co.uk/fitness-instructors/michael-hobson.html blog. Mo Farer is on the firm.
Please update Buncey, Caroline Barker and the rest of your team.
Regards
Roy Hobson.............
PAPA RATZI ( http://www.thepapalvisit.org ) ORA PRO NOBIS!
Our Lady of the RAINBOW ROSARY pray for us too!
Best regards
Roy Hobson aka Our Lady's "Vesper" ON-LINE +
Dear Father Finigan
On Wednnesday 14th July 2010, I attended Michael's graduation ceremony at Westminster Cathedral.
Michael was awarded a 1st Class Bachelor of Arts - Physical & Sport Education by Dr Arthur Naylor, Principal of St Mary's University College, Twickenham, London, after Bishop George Stack had addressed the congregation, and Father Gerard Devlin, Chaplain of SMUC had led us in a Service of Thanksgiving.
Please could you pass on the good news to Mr Murphy, who was Michael's headmaster at Our Lady of the Rosary RC Primary School in Blackfen.
PAPA RATZI ( http://www.thepapalvisit.org ) ORA PRO NOBIS!
Our Lady of the Rosary pray for us too!
Best regards
Roy Hobson aka Our Lady's "Vesper" ON-LINE +
@ Father Finigan too
With just 400 days to go before the start of the London Olympics, the Church of England has released a prayer for those preparing for the 2012 Games. It asks God to be with the athletes, their supporters and families, and the thousands of churches preparing to organise Olympics-themed events in their communities, and it is read on a new podcast by GB Olympic 400m gold medallist Christine Ohuruogu MBE.
A prayer in preparation for the 2012 Games
Eternal God,
Giver of joy and source of all strength,
we pray for those
who prepare for the London Olympic and Paralympic games.
For the competitors training for the Games and their loved ones,
For the many thousands who will support them,
And for the Churches and others who are organising special events and who will welcome many people from many nations.
In a world where many are rejected and abused,
we pray for a spirit
of tolerance and acceptance, of humility and respect
and for the health and safety of all.
May we at the last be led towards the love of Christ who is more than gold, today and forever. Amen
Here is the web page with full details http://www.england.anglican.org/media-centre/news/2011/06/400m-gold-medallist-reads-olympic-prayer-400-days-ahead-of-2012-games.aspx
Our Lady of the Rosary ( http://the-hermeneutic-of-continuity.blogspot.com/2011/05/visit-to-tomb-of-blessed-john-paul-ii.html ) pray for us!
PAPA VERO ORA PRO NOBIS!
God Save the Queen!
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