MAN flu is a terrible condition. I've been really suffering from it: wheezy chest, pounding head, no energy, feeling sorry for myself.

And in the midst of it all, I was required to attend The Northern Echo's Schools Awards at the Xcel Centre at Newton Aycliffe.

My job was to present the "Overcoming Adversity Award" to a young man called Charlie York and I began to feel more than a little ashamed of myself as his nomination was read out...

Carlie is 11 and goes to Aysgarth School in North Yorkshire. Four days after his first birthday, Charlie was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis and spent most of his early life in hospital, having painful treatment. He then developed a superbug which attacked his lungs and he was on drugs that made him sick most of the time. His health deteriorated so much that the only option was for him to have a lung transplant at Great Ormond Street in London.

Ten weeks later, Charlie walked six miles with schoolfriends to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and, a year after his transplant, he won the 100 metres race on school sports day. Charlie still has to cope with Cystic Fibrosis, taking 40 tablets a day as well as having insulin injections.

The nomination concluded: "Charlie has faced enormous adversity throughout his young life but he has shown himself to be a true fighter and he never gives up."

For the record, my man flu is a lot better.

INTERVIEWED on stage by compere Chris Lloyd, Charlie was asked what he'd like to do when he grows up.

"I'd quite like to by a police officer," he replied.

"What appeals to you about being a police officer?" asked Mr Lloyd.

"They just drive around a bit," came the reply.

I wonder if the Chief Constable of County Durham, and Northern Echo columnist Mike Barton is reading this?

THE School of the Year Award, won by The Academy at Shotton Hall, produced the most shocking moment of the event.

Kay Sherwen, commercial manager of category sponsor The Bed Experts, appealed for support for an appeal being backed by her company.

The vast majority of us take having a bed to sleep in for granted but Kay explained that research has shown that hundreds of children in the North-East don't have a bed to sleep in due to poverty.

That's why The Bed Experts, which has shops across the North-East, including The Northgate Bedding Centre in Darlington, is backing the Cash For Kids Bed Appeal, in association with Metro Radio. You can donate £3 by texting the word BEDS to 70808. For further information, go to metroradio.co.uk/beds

The Northern Echo:

A THOUGHTFUL card arrived last week from John Nicholls, of Sedgefield, telling me of his weekly telephone call to his brother Bert in Australia.

Bert mentioned that he'd visited the Titanic exhibition in Melbourne, where all visitors receive a boarding pass bearing the name of an actual passenger on the doomed ship. Bert's allocated passenger was a certain William Thomas Stead, in cabin number C87, pictured above.

John told his brother that he knew all about W.T. Stead because he'd been the editor of The Northern Echo. Having discovered that I'd played the part of my illustrious predecessor in a Darlington Operatic Society production of Titanic The Musical at Darlington Civic Theatre in 2012, Bert decided that the boarding pass should be sent to me as a momento.

Thank you, Bert – I'll treasure it.

FINALLY, thank you to Lyn Swift, chairman of the County Durham Federation of the Women's Institute.

Lynn kindly passed on to me a copy of a reading she gives whenever she's asked to speak publicly. It made me smile and it goes like this:

"If my body were a car, I would be trading it in for a newer model. I've got bumps, dents, scratches and my headlights are out of focus. My gearbox keeps seizing up and it takes me hours to reach maximum speed. I overheat for no reason and every time I sneeze, cough or laugh, either my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires."