There's something fishy going on in Bury ...

Bury Market has quite a reputation and I couldn’t resist a potter through there today. Oh my! The variety of foodstuffs on display was baffling – quite baffling.

As I mentioned earlier, I had been looking forward to sampling black pudding, however it appears that they aren’t made from fish after all.

Not fish! Have you ever heard of such a thing? If they’re not made from fish, what are they made of? So, as you can see from the image above, I decided to stick with what I know. Prawns.

Bury was bustling today and so lots of people, young and old, came along to meet me there. But more important was the fact that they were very keen to hear how the NHS can help smokers quit their habit. Last year 950 people became smokefree with help from Bury PCT Stop Smoking Service. Wonderful news!

I’ve decided to dig out my brand new mp3 player today (I don’t have a Waddle-man any more, they’re so 1980) because I wanted to listen to Elbow – what a fine band they are, and from Bury too. Isn’t elbow an unusual word? I wonder if I have one?

One thing I do know is that I have a weekend of relaxation ahead – I really won’t know what to do with myself. So I’ll be back in fine feather on Monday, this time from Warrington in Cheshire.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Actually in Ashton-under-Lyne

I’ve received a wonderful welcome from the people of Ashton-under-Lyne. What a pleasant name this town has! I took a little time last evening to look into its origins, apparently the first part of the name may refer a ‘settlement by ash trees’, but the ‘under-Lyne’ bit appears to be anyone’s guess. If you’ve any ideas, do let me know – I’m a curious penguin.

Ashton-under-Lyne is the birthplace of England’s 1966 World Cup final hero Geoff Hurst – the man who scored the hat-rick in your victory over Germany. I say your victory, but in fact I consider myself to be an honorary English-penguin. I always support England during the World Cup, you see football in Antarctica has never really recovered from the underpitch heating debacle back in 1997 - very embarrassing.

As ever we’ve been urging those smokers among the townspeople to contact the NHS and kick the habit. They’re extremely capable here, last year 1,839 people became smokefree with help from Tameside and Glossop PCT Stop Smoking Service. Incredible!

If you want to quit smoking, but you weren’t in Ashton-under-Lyne today, do call my Penguin Stop Smoking Hotline on 0800 032 7252.

I’m off to Bury shortly, where I expect I’ll try Black Pudding. Is it fish?

Hey-ho!

A Barrow of Laughs

Here I am in Barrow with Student Meisha Tranter. After travelling the 50-odd miles from Workington (it’s a little further as-the-penguin-waddles), I was not as pooped as I had anticipated. It seems this road-trip is keeping me trim, I certainly feel a healthier and more vital flightless bird for the experience.

I’m having a tremendously good time here in busy Barrow, a town with a lot to shout about. Not only does it have a very interesting history, it is also a centre of industry. The dockland construction yards don’t just make ships, they build submarines too. I think they’re of the type that we sometimes see in Antarctica, the ones that scare the krill. Frightfully bad form.

Once I conclude all this business of helping NHS Cumbria to encourage the good folk of Barrow to stop smoking, I certainly won’t be short of things to do here. There are seals to see just offshore, and the birdlife is excellent - Walney Island is in all the holiday brochures back home. This afternoon I’m hoping to get along to Barrow’s Dock Museum, I’ve heard excellent reports. It appears to be a striking design and I’m told that it’s built over an old dock – extraordinary!

Earlier today, I noticed a poster which indicated that the autumn conference of the Cumbria Industrial History Society will take place in Barrow this weekend. What a pity I’ll miss it, I do like history. My great-great-great-grand-penguin was a keen inventor, and became obsessed with constructing a machine which would allow us penguins to fly again. He developed a winged harness – but it never took off.

If you want to quit smoking, but you can’t get to Barrow today, call my Penguin Stop Smoking Hotline on 0800 032 7252.

Today is my last in Cumbria and, since I intend to make it one to remember, it’s appropriate I’ve ended up in bustling Barrow.

Cumbria, it’s been a pleasure. Au revoir!

Working(ton) My Way Back North

I was so taken with my trip to Carlisle earlier in this tour that I simply had to return to Cumbria, so here I am in Workington with Stacey and 10 month-old Luke Makin. This is such a beautiful county, no wonder it provided such inspiration for Wordsworth (the most popular poet amongst penguins incidentally).

I passed by his home, Dove Cottage, on the way here to Workington today but there was no time to stop. Apart from having a busy day ahead telling smokers about NHS stop smoking services, I was keen to get some more of the sea air that you do so well in this region. Having filled my lungs in Blackpool I just can’t get enough, and was told that Workington would provide a similarly breezy pick-me-up.

Speaking so freely of geography has gotten me all misty-eyed, don’t you know?

Part of me misses the old Antarctic wastes, after all what’s not to miss? Ice underfoot, stinging gales, and all the herring one can eat. Utter bliss. Talking of ice, I read today that the Arctic is melting. It’s a dashed worry for us in similarly icy circs on the other side of the world, and it made me all the more homesick.

I’m quite the nostalgic aren’t I? But I’ll drag myself back to the present and my duties here in charming Workington. NHS Cumbria has a most excellent stop smoking service which last year helped 2,771 people to quit smoking. We’re seeing plenty of evidence that they retain those persuasive powers and that they are exercising them furiously.

If you want to quit smoking, but you couldn’t meet us today, call the Penguin Stop Smoking Hotline on 0800 032 7252.

This afternoon, on leaving Workington, I’m off down the coast to Barrow. I believe nearby Walney Island is rather popular with your native seabirds – I wonder what time they close?

Cheerio!

Blackpool Rocks!

Look at this picture - I’m such a tourist aren’t I? But I couldn’t resist the pose.

Greetings from Blackpool! Here I am with my new chum Bloomfield Bear, mascot to the esteemed Blackpool FC.

Old BB tells me this is a particularly fine time of year to be visiting the resort since the renowned illuminations are at their absolute peak. I’m so very looking forward to seeing them this evening!

I’ve arranged for a day of rest tomorrow so where better to spend it than here at the seaside? I intend to cram lots in over the next 24 hours … candyfloss, a stroll along the promenade, the piers, the Tower Ballroom and a trip on a tram (the one in the picture declined to stop).

But I have to say I’m most looking forward to a ride on the Big One. I’ve never been on a rollercoaster before but I have every confidence in my constitution. We penguins have strong stomachs, we have to in our line of work – have you seen what we eat?

After we took in the brisk sea air, BB and I headed back indoors to the Houndshill shopping centre where the NHS Blackpool’s Stop Smoking Service and the Smokefree team were on hand to point smokers towards a healthier future.

The team there tell me they received some really strong interest from people who smoke but feel they can give up with NHS help. They certainly can, and here’s the proof - last year 1,295 people became smoke-free with help from NHS Blackpool Stop Smoking Service.

If you want to quit smoking, but you couldn’t meet us in Blackpool today, call the Penguin Stop Smoking Hotline on 0800 032 7252.

Those of you who have been following this blog for any time, may be pleased to hear that dear old mummy and I are on terms again. To appease her, I’ve promised to take a stick of Blackpool rock back to Antarctica. I don’t approve though, it’s bad for her beak.

Toodleoo!

A New Pal in Preston

I remain in Lancashire! After yesterday’s amusements in Burnley I headed west until I reached historic Preston (England’s newest city) where I was greeted by Deepdale Duck, the mascot of Preston North End FC.

Despite being a penguin, I’m a bit of a culture vulture. So I’ve been particularly looking forward to this leg of my tour since Preston has at least six museums and is home to the famous Guild Hall.

I was lucky to have a guide around the city centre in the form of Deepdale Duck. It was an honour to meet him, after all he’s ambassador to a club that was a founder member of the football league back in 1888. DD was tremendously helpful and all too pleased to show me Preston’s sights.

But let’s not forget that there was serious business to be done. So we then waddled off to meet up with our colleagues from the Smokefree North West team who were dutifully pitching their message at a stall at The Mall shopping centre.

While there we met with lots of shoppers, and our persuasive team were able to sign up plenty of smokers interested in making use of NHS stop smoking services. It didn’t surprise me to hear that the Stop Smoking Service at NHS Central Lancashire was able to help 3,228 people become smokefree last year.

If you missed us today, but would like more information on how the NHS can help you quit smoking, call the Penguin Stop Smoking Hotline on 0800 032 7252. My friends there will point you in the right direction.

DD and I may not be birds of a feather but we did get on famously, and so he’s promised to keep me up to date with how the Lilywhites perform this season. I look forward to it! Good luck PNE!

Sadly, I shall conclude my jaunt around this fair county tomorrow. But fear not! The Lancashire leg is ending on a high; for I will be in that great and historic resort of Blackpool. Fish and chips twice!

Ta ta!

Busy, Busy Burnley!

Hello there. I've just arrived in Burnley, Lancashire!

Just like two year-old Benjamin Ogden on the roundabout, I've been racing round in circles today in this delightful Pennine town!

It really is a deuce of a thing. I'm so busy meeting lots of Saturday shoppers, haven't got too much time to talk to you at the moment. Suffice to say it's all going swimmingly.

If you want to quit smoking, do call the Penguin Stop Smoking Hotline on 0800 032 7252.

Pip, Pip!