Welcome to the Chris Burke site which has been around for about 9 years.
On these pages you will find information about my work and interests. I also talk about my Spiritual, political, and cultural activities (hope you can cope with this). The idea of personal web sites are to help people interested in your work, activities etc stay in touch with what you are up to. Also as an elected councillor it helps me keep the public in my division informed and enable that public to hold me to account. For this reason there is a section on my division of Lincoln North in the Special Links section below.
I am updating the site but you may find some pages that I have yet to get to.
ICQ Number: 173620396
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June:
New Car, More Walks more photography and great family visits
That about sums it up really. Aunty Tess 80 this month and my Mothers sister came visiting and we called at Gainsborough Old Hall and Boston Stump along with the Bailgate in Lincoln. As I write today (June 9th) about to embark on
Welbourn to the Golden Eagle 14 miles & Coleby to the Golden Eagle 7.5 mile
LONG WALK
A great but quite hard 14 mile walk along the Viking Way, meeting the short walk group at the Tempest Arms, Coleby
Walking along the Lincoln edge back to our local pub
Catching the 1335 number 1 bus, from Bargate bus stop to Welbourn
Meet in the Golden Eagle lounge at 1325.
Visited Boston the other day for a tour of the Borough's migrant community and to meet its vibrant members who are contributing so much to the local economy.
O, the new car: 
Jaguar S Type Year 2000, wow, very chuffed.
May:
Elections & Political Work
After weeks of campaigning during April the local election count in Lincoln saw my party lose the City Council by one seat. This reflected some local concerns but primarily underscored the Primie Ministers unpopularity over issues such as the war in Iraq. I stood for a Conservative safe seat and also campaigned hard in the area of my County Seat which I still hold (my election there is due in two years).
Meanwhile in full Council (AGM) last Friday I supported calls for Lincolnshire to maximise the benefits of the Olympic games increasing sporting and tourism opportunities for the County. I also, with cross party support, resisted attacks on the work of SACRE which is an organisation that promotes interfaith diologue between church schools, the LEA and faith groups. I also began my campaign for a Rape Crisis Centre(s) for Lincolnshire. Statistics indicate that thousands of rapes occur here but often go unreported or reported too late for the criminals concerned to be delt with. Given that a proprtion of suicides among victims occur I feel strongly that we should treat this as a capital offence.
I have also highlighted a lack of contact with senior NHS Managers who are not partnership working with groups and institutions committed to Community Cohesion.
Eagle Walks and Family Visits
Managed a 14 mile walk which included the lovely Walesby and the town of Market Raisen. Walesby sports a really charming tea room and upstairs is a wonderful map and globe room. You can buy globes with inlaid polished stones represnting the different nations of the Earth.
The following day took Sue & Sean to the splendid Blacksmiths Arms at Rothwell where we had a wonderful meal and explored the village, seeing the splendid vista's of planted tree's and planned landscapes near the ancient church.
March: I am video streamed (Dr tells me I will make a full recovery). My speech to March's full Council Meeting is here, apparently we were all recorded and Lincolnshire County Council will made it all available on the web site. If you prefare the text it is here. The event was a declairation initiated by my Group Leader Labour Cllr Rob Parker which gained all party support firmly establishing a committment to all Lincolnshire citizens including new arrivals of whatever background and a condemnation of bigotry. I spoke both as a councillor and as Vice Chair of the Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council.
With son Sean I attended the final flag furling of the Lincoln Normandy Vetrans association. I was very proud but also humbled to wear my medal among the serried ranks of muliple columns per chest of so many medals of so many campaigns. It was a very moving occasion as these warriors of old made their exit in such a dignified way handing their standards over to the clergy in the ancient Lincoln church of St Mary Le Wigford. This was a very appropriate venue as many service personnel embarked from the railway station next door during the Second World War. I was pleased that mention was made and prayers said for our forces in Iraq and Afganistan. I was reminded how much we all owe them and I was also mindful that we could easily lose the war they sacrificed so much to win by ignoring the dangers posed by such as the BNP in our time.
January: The Golden Eagle Walkers re-start Saturday 20th, Navenby to the Eagle along the Viking Way, email the organiser Martyn for details on Eagle_walkers@msn.co.
The Labour County Group is refreshing the web site, go here to see more and here to see my own councillor page!
2006
December: Old friend County Councillor Barry Fippard has been made an MBE in the 2007 New Years Honour List. Barry although recognised for his local government work has also given sterling service to his trade union, the Police Authority, naturally the people of his Birchwood community and many other brilliant things.
November: I have just been elected Vice Chair of the Lincolnshire Racial Equality Council, a body I helped to create as a project officer some years ago, this is a great honour.
November: Received news that I have been accepted onto the Community Cohesion Panel. This important body links into the Lincolnshire Assembly, County Council and many other important authorities and its objective is to help create a more just and fair society by working to enable our communities to play a full and active role.
The Day Job
Working for Rainer, a charity that provides support to socialy excluded young people, known here as Rainer Lincolnshire. I am on the Senior Manangement Team with responsibility for Floating Support and the Youth Advice Services. Following the Rainer link here you will see the great work the charity does in our County of Lincolnshire and elsewhere in the UK.
The Other Work (is that the non-day job?)
As an elected Labour County Councillor I represent one of the largest populations in the County covering an area of the City of Lincoln. My area (known as a division) covers the Ermine Estates East & West and the mainly Victorian and Edwardian areas towards the Cathedral.
I am a member of the Local Education Authority link body SACRE and a Governor on the City Of Lincoln Secondary School and the High Street Primary St Peter at Gowts. I also serve on the Lincolnshire Community Cohesion Partnership & more recently Integration Lincolnshire.
The Photography
Planning a second exhibition of my digital photography/art with other artists, donations to Rainer - more soon.
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