Opinion: Let’s hope stormy start is not an omen for the year ahead...

Well Christmas is now an almost distant memory and 2024 has blustered its way in with heavy rain and stormy weather.

Let’s all hope that is not an omen for what’s to come in the next 12 months.

The start of the new year is a time for reflection, a time to make those resolutions (some of you have probably already failed on them) and it is also a time for hope.

Personally, I find this time of year quite maudlin, probably because the weather is always so depressing and my birthday, which is fast looming, always falls around the date of the accurately called ‘Blue Monday’.

This year Monday, January 15, is the designated day. which is so-called because it has been calculated as the most depressing date of the year – due to the cocktail of poor weather, post-Christmas lull, stretched finances, and failed New Year’s resolutions.

I don’t make resolutions, I have long-since recognised that I have absolutely no will-power and I think this time of the year is not right for making personal sacrifices – like giving up the booze for dry January, or promising yourself you will lose weight when all you want to do is sit in front of the tele, with the heating on and stuffing the left-over Christmas treats.

Better I think to wait for the brighter evenings, and warmer weather, when the appeal of being active is stronger, the need for comfort is not such a temptation and we all start to feel that bit better about everything.

But again the lack of will-power can still be my downfall, however, I optimistically look forward to starting some sort of exercise regime, eating healthier, and generally being less of a couch potato in a couple of months’ time…

2024 not only got off to a blustery start but also a thrilling one as teenage dart sensation Luke Littler and his skill with the arrows had the country gripped by dart fever.

Alas, it was not to be and the 16-year-old failed to beat Luke Humphries his opponent in the World Championship Final on Wednesday.

But I’m certain we will be hearing a lot more about Luke Littler and I’m equally certain he has inspired families everywhere to buy a late Christmas present of a magnetic dart board for their youngsters in the hopes they will one day follow in his footsteps.

He certainly is a good role model for young people, particularly teenagers, he conducted himself brilliantly and did his family proud.

The other Luke was equally gracious in victory and paid tribute to his losing opponent with a touch of humour.

So well done the Lukes…

Talking of teenagers doing their families proud. Alex Batty the 16-year-old who was returned to his grandmother’s care just before Christmas has been doing the publicity rounds.

Alex was abducted by his mum and grandad six years ago when they went on a family holiday to Spain and they failed to return him to his Grandma, who is his legal guardian.

Talking on Good Morning Britain Alex spoke about his life ‘on the run’ and what he had been up to in those missing six years.

He spoke with eloquence, was self-deprecating, and came across as a thoroughly lovely young man.

I really hope that he manages to settle back into a ‘normal routine’ and can fulfil his ambition of going to college and studying to be a computer programmer.

He certainly deserves a bit of peace and a chance to enjoy what’s left of his teenage years having fun with his mates…

Fenland District Council looks set once again to be the only local authority not seeking to take more out of our pockets in its share of the Council Tax in the upcoming new financial year.

The move to freeze its cut of the Council Tax follows on from last year when the district council actually cut its share by 2% – which equated to £5 for a Band D householder for the whole year.

All very laudable and I suppose in these days of financial hardship every little helps, but is anyone really going to miss a few pence per week in the great scheme of things.

Personally I would rather see them put it up a bit and spend it on something useful that benefits the whole community – just a thought...