A brief encounter

posted by: Nick L | on: Saturday, 19 April 2008, 09:09

The HOPE not hate tour has already produced many funny moments, some of them intended but others by default. It is hard work but despite the many trials and tribulations that are thrown up in our way, it is enjoyable.

But there are also the occasional moments when we are reminded, in a very serious and moving way, why we do what we do. Yesterday provided one of those. Alongside footballing legends John Barnes and Howard Gayle and stars from Hollyoaks was Gee Walker, mother of murdered teenager Anthony Walker. She came to the bus and applauded out message of HOPE. She has experienced ‘hate’ in its most extreme form and yet she had not been consumed by it or fuelled by a desire for vengeance.

Her presence hung over us all. John Barnes summed it up perfectly. He said that while he had experienced awful racism as a footballer for England and Liverpool it was nothing compared to what had happened to the Walker family.

The tour got off to a flyer and we were all lifted by it. Unfortunately I had to leave Liverpool early to get over to Manchester where I joined my Searchlight colleague Matthew Collins, though not before a brief encounter with Joey Owens, former bodyguard to BNP leader Nick Griffin and a man I have named as a multiple gangland killer. Matthew had gone up to Manchester that morning and was trying to salvage our food festival which is going to be held in Albert Square next Tuesday Ros and I have our own headaches over this tour and while hers is Brixton where we are meant to be ending up, mine was Manchester. I have to admit that by 4.45pm yesterday afternoon the prognosis did not look good. But things are much rosier now and I think it is going to work just fine but there is still a lot of work to do.

Today we are in Rotherham for one of our main community orientated events. The HOPE not hate team in Yorkshire has worked tirelessly to pull together what appears to be an excellent day. After that there is going to be a quick [sic] dash to Preston for the Sugababes who are in concert. It’ll be my first ‘long’ journey on the bus but I have already been warned to wrap up warm because it is ‘freezing’. Fingers crossed I can just sit back and enjoy the day … we’ll that’s the plan anyway.

Just like to finish by introducing the final member of our merry team, Andy, who joins Gregg on the film crew. He is another veteran of last year’s tour. All we need now is an appearance of Mirror photographer John Ferguson and the old gang will be back together, but alas it seems that one year was enough for him.