THIRTY YEARS

The Stephenson household came into existence more than thirty years ago.  In August Barrie and Joan celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary by inviting friends and family to a party at The Belfrey Hall in York.
Their married life began in Silver Street Methodist Church, Brownhills. It was a Pentecostal service led by Pastor David Playle. 
The party was a self catering affair at which those attending the event mucked in to help with serving, washing up and decorating the church hall.
Family members who stayed over in York also joined in a treasure hunt through the historic centre of the city.

GOLDEN
YEAR

It's been a year of dining out for Barrie and his team at BBC Radio York. In May they won the coveted Sony Gold Award from the Radio Academy for their coverage of the flooding crisis in North Yorkshire in November 2000. Later in the year they also won another two awards, one for floods coverage and the other for the breakfast show.  So because of his their achievements Barrie has found himself at a number of posh events and as the guest of BBC bosses. He also met the PM, Tony Blair, when he called in at the radio station during the foot and mouth crisis. BBC Radio York has also been expanding and he will have an extra ten staff working on new programmes and projects early in the new year. One project is a new Website called BBC North Yorkshire - so you'll be able to logon wherever you are to look at the latest news from the BBC in our patch. And the more often you do it the better his figures will be.

OVER THE THRESHOLD

Is this the most exciting thing in Joan's year?  She spent an agonising few days in the autumn half term putting together her application for a threshold enhancement to her salary. All teachers are eligible after they reach the top of their pay scale. It involves writing an assessment of value your

teaching and producing examples and evidence to prove you are worth a pay rise. This year it was Joan's turn. It's now being processed but she may have to produce further evidence to back up her application. So more agony on the way.

MOVING UP AND IN

BROADBAND

The Stephenson house will be linked to the internet by Broadband ADSL before the New Year. Our email addresses have changed.

Barrie:
eboracum@bigfoot.com. Joan:
joanstep@bigfoot.com Please change your address book if you regularly use email.

Wesley is now working in Stage 6 of BBC Television Centre as a journalist for Radio Five Live. He was successful in winning a six month attachment from his job at BBC Essex. He works on the Drivetime programme, the one that's presented by Peter Allen and Jane Garvey.
Wesley has also moved in with his girlfriend, Deborah. She has a house in Chelmsford and works as a senior journalist at BBC Essex. So Wes is commuting into London each day to his new job. He seems to be enjoying the challenge, and it means he can meet up with his dad when he's in London on business.

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