ELY mayor Sheila Friend-Smith will shortly hand over the reins to a new mayor and this week she writes her last column for the Ely Standard, see Page 6. During the last year, Sheila has worked tirelessly to promote the city of Ely, but much more than that

ELY mayor Sheila Friend-Smith will shortly hand over the reins to a new mayor and this week she writes her last column for the Ely Standard, see Page 6. During the last year, Sheila has worked tirelessly to promote the city of Ely, but much more than that she is a shinning example of the goodwill and enthusiasm that makes East Cambridgeshire such a nice place to live. Well done Shelia, you have been a fine ambassador for the city.

I WANDERED down to Ted Coney's home and gallery at the weekend to see his exhibition called Time. His collection of family portraits and family related art is fascinating. Ted showed me round his lovely home and explained the thoughts and inspiration behind his many pieces of work. It was a lovely way to spend an hour on a Sunday afternoon, and it has to be said that being a typical woman, I also enjoyed the added benefit of nosing around someone else's home!

I have been out running again; well actually it wouldn't be entirely truthful to describe it as 'running'. It's a kind of run/walk at the moment. I have mapped out a two-mile route near my house and on Saturday I had to stop to rest four times, which I know sounds pathetic, but it feels like someone is standing on my chest and trying to squeeze all the air out. Okay, a slight exaggeration, but it does blooming well hurt, a lot. I was a very natural keen sportswomen at school so it also hurts my pride enormously that I can't do this well to the extent that I have invented a little charade. When I start my run I am near lots of houses so I make a note of where I run and where I walk. So, if I run past houses on the way up the road, I make sure I run past the same houses on the way back and walk past the houses I walked past on the way there on the way back. Does that make sense? That way, if anyone is in their garden or looking out of the window they think I am either going for a walk or having a run and there's no-one out there laughing because I can't run far. I can't do much about passing cars. I just have to hope there aren't any traffic hold-ups.

Having said all of that, I am determined to at least be able to run/walk the five miles before June 14 and I will be running across that finishing line!

THOUGHT OF THE WEEK

"It's all right letting yourself go, as long as you can let yourself back."

Mick Jagger