I remember not wanting to join the Scouts because I had heard that they strip you and cover you in boot polish. I was in the Cubs - 22nd Wimbledon - and got loads of badges, although I seem to remember having to redo my artist's badge because the examiner wanted to see more original work, rather than copies. Kids these days don't know they're born.

I remember Akela, Baloo and Riki-tiki-tavi.

I remember the drummer of Slade losing his memory after having a car crash.

I remember being disappointed that most of the people I met in the OU were studying for what I felt were the wrong reasons. Public sector workers - teachers, civil servants and so on - were guaranteed a pay-rise if they got a degree. They all tended to take the easy options - including of course sociology. Not many people were doing it for the love of learning. Like me.

I remember the coolest name in Tiffins. Ever. Sergio Dalmazzo-Auckland.

I remember Avrom Feldstein, although his real name was Brian Field.

I remember one afternoon during rehearsals watching a young lad, an old boy of the school just as I was, playing Everyday Hurts by Sad Cafe on the grand piano in the school hall and thinking how talented he was - good-looking too - and how shocked I then was to hear that he had jumped off a railway bridge in Hinchley Wood.

I remember flat, square chewing gum that came in a pack with a series of cards, such as flags of the world. On the other side there were facts such as the name of the country, its capital and a word or phrase in its language.

I remember in my year of about 90 boys (three classes) at school we had a couple of Jews and a guy whose family was Plymouth Brethren. Other than that we were all presumably Christian to varying degrees. The others didn't have to go to morning assembly or RE lessons. If you were Jewish you weren't allowed to write "Yahweh" or "Jehovah" on the blackboard, which I thought was quite respectful. I admired them for that. I wasn't aware of any anti-semitism or bigotry or racialism. I don't think we had any Asians in the school. The only black people I knew of were the blues guitarists and singers I used to listen to.

I remember the London to Brighton bike ride - and the thumping in my temples as I gave up two-thirds of the way up Ditchling Beacon.

I remember being chucked for being frigid. Her name was Jackie.

I remember a large marquee opposite the pier at Bognor. A summer evening. As we walked past, we could hear someone inside singing You Are My Sunshine.

I remember how excited the country was the night Tony Blair was made Prime Minister. What a disappointment he turned out to be.

I remember JJ telling us we should always get on a bus with the correct change for our fare. I don't always do it, but I know that the world would be a better place if everyone did.

I remember playing a practical joke on a guy who I think was called Steve Brown, who had resigned from NatWest and was going to work for some foreign merchant bank or other. On his last day I got Bob Smedley - I think that was his name and quite frankly he should have known better because he held a position of responsibility - to hand him a letter I had prepared on Area Office headed paper, declining to accept his resignation. He cried! Bob got the blame! Don't you just love it when it all goes according to plan?