Well, it's been quite a busy couple of weeks, with several great events so far. Trawling back into my distant and hazy memory from about 10 days ago, I was a judge for the Youth Business International 'Entrepreneur of the Year Award'. I pitched up to Kensington Palace along with Deborah Meaden from Dragon's Den, Claire Young from the Apprentice and Rachel Bridge (the Enterprise Editor from the Sunday Times). We were judging the 4 international finalists, who had all won in their individual categories, and it was our (very difficult) decision to decide the overall winner. After meeting with all the finalists and discussing their businesses, we eventually (and unanimously) decided on awarding first place to Juan Ramón Nuñez from Argentina, who had started a  radio station in a very poor part of Buenos Aires and instigated a number of projects to help the local community. http://www.youthbusiness.org/resources/case-studies/juan-ramon-nunez.aspx

That evening we all went for a reception in Clarence House with The Prince of Wales, followed by supper hosted by HRH in St James's Palace. It was a wonderful evening, and a very fitting celebration of the achievements of all five individual finalists and their supporters.

A couple of days later I went up to Oldham College outside Manchester to give a presentation entitled 'Mountaineering - with a Maths twist!' as part of a Mathematics study day. The highlight of the day for me was listening to one of the other lecturers, Dr Mark Lewney, who gave a very entertaining lecture on 'Rock guitar in 11 dimentions', which using his electric guitar, taught the audience all about super-string theory and that there are more than 3 dimensions!

http://www.doctorlewney.com

Last weekend, my Territorial Army Squadron celebrated one of our Battle Honours. In memory of the Officers and Soldiers of the 2nd Royal Gloucestershire Hussars who fought at Bir El Gubi in North Africa in November 1941, we have a Sqn dinner evening andChurch service at Badminton the next day. This did necessitate the polishing of 2 sets of kit for the weekend (Blues andService Dress), but both the dinner night andthe Church service were well worth it - even Prince Charles came along to  Church on the Sunday.

On Tuesday night I was up in London at the Royal Geographical Society for the Porter's Progress Annual Lecture, this year given by Ian Parnell. Not only is it a fantastic and worthwhile charity, but I summited Everest on the same day as Ian, and so it was great to go along and support him and hear all about his other adventures. He is one of the most understated and modest, yet wonderfully amusing speakers, and as befitting a mountain photographer, wowed the whole audience with his incredible slides.

www.portersprogress.org

www.ianparnell.com

Yesterday was spent at St James's Palace presenting the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Awards. I think that it is the 5th time that I've been to present the awards, but every occasion is a real honour, and it it wonderful to share in the celebration of the incredible achievement that completing the Gold Level is. Rather than the Duke of Edinburgh, we had the Earl of Wessex, and I was very impressed that he recognised my tie, as although he is the Honorary Colonel of our Regiment (the Royal Wessex Yeomanry), I was wearing a Sqn tie and not a regimental one!

www.dofe.org

So, a couple of days back home now before heading back up to the big smoke for the Children's BAFTA Awards on Sunday evening and a Cabinet Office event on Monday. I've just found out that I am going to be presenting the 'Factual Award' at the event, which I am really looking forward too. Better make sure that my Dinner Jacket is in a relatively decent state!

http://www.bafta.org/awards/childrens/awards-2009,879,BA.html