As you probably saw in Monday's Northern Echo (front page no less!), it's been quite a week with the call from Number Ten.

I was telling you in my previous column that I was due at a bit of a do last Friday to celebrate the opening of the new Sleep Inn just off Junction 59 of the A1M between Darlington and Newton Aycliffe.

The guest of honour performing the opening was the Prime Minister and he was in fine form. Given all that must be on his mind at the moment, he was in very relaxed mood and soon had guests laughing. He was offered a glass of champagne to celebrate but said:

"I'll have to decline I'm afraid. You can just see the headlines now pointing out that the Prime Minister is on the drink before noon!"

Mr Blair said that he was delighted to be present at what was his very first chance to open a new hotel, and celebrate the creation of new jobs in his constituency.

Before the end of the event, though, came my big surprise when the PM asked me if I would "do him a favour". That turned out to be compering and speaking at a very special dinner next year which will celebrate Tony Blair's 50th birthday and his 20 years as an MP. To be honest, it's the kind of invitation you dream about, so I'll look forward to sharing a very special occasion in 2003.

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Talking of new 50-year-olds, I was speaking over the weekend to John Poland, the Managing Director of MetroMail at Peterlee. John's company is part of the Saga Group which has made a real success of marketing to the group which the PM will join next year.

The current shape of our population is quite fascinating with over-50's equalling 19 million or 32% of the population. They also control 80% of the wealth of the nation, own 60% of the savings, and have the highest disposable income. On top of that, medical research reports that by 2020, life expectancy will have risen to 120 for women and around 115 for men!

So at 50 the PM is still just a boy!

MetroMail's own figures at Peterlee are quite staggering too, and John Poland tells me that they currently handle millions of items every year and over 25,000 brochure requests per DAY for Saga holidays and other products.

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My celebratory Friday continued in the evening when I had the privilege of being guest speaker at a very special event at Middlesbrough College.

They were marking their merger with Teesside Tertiary College and it was a brilliant evening with all of the catering and organisation being handled in-house by students and staff. Not surprisingly, Middlesbrough College has just been awarded the coveted status of Centre of Vocational Excellence for its Catering Department and it was easy to see why.

Top Table guests included several people I've interviewed over more than a quarter of a century including Chair of Governors Hazel Pearson, Middlesbrough MP Stuart Bell, and the town's Deputy Mayor Bob Brady.

It was a very happy night and a real reminder of one of our biggest assets in the Tees Valley - the high quality of our youngsters.

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I'm happy to stay very upbeat through the column and offer congratulations to Gus Robinson and his team at Hartlepool whose construction company celebrated recently. They presented three people with certificates and watches for 20 years service to the Company. Michael Holland and George Lutz are both bricklayers; George served his time with the company and Michael joined the firm 20 years ago from Yuills.

Jeanette Henderson also received a 20 years service award after joining the firm's accounts department directly from English Martyrs School at the age of 16.

The set was completed for Gus with two of his apprentices winning North East Apprentice of the Year this year, one being an electrician and one being a plumber.

There's so much glum news about at the moment, I trust you've enjoyed a burst of the good stuff!

Published: 23/10/2002