Emotion-'ull

You all know the ending to Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life". As a family it has become a tradition at Christmas to watch it together.

This is usually on the television in the living room to the reflected image of the tree lights.

In recent years we have been to see screenings in local cinemas where our emotions have blended with others in a mass weeping but with overwhelming joy in a happy outcome.

I experienced similar feelings this last evening past at the launch of my adopted home, Hull, as UK City of Culture 2017.

In fact, the inaugural event was an expression of a much deeper poignancy and meaning than I ever expected it to be.

It marked a rather uncharacteristic but long overdue and shameless self promotion of the place, it's people and their story.

It is a story that has struggled to be heard or rather one that has not commanded an audience to listen to it.

In the short space of some 13 minutes of pyrotechnics and an accompanying audio-visual snap-shot of the sights, sounds and personalities and of Hull I found it impossible to restrain the manly tears.

I think that I got away with it though.

The assembled crowds were distracted by the pulsating rhythm of the fireworks and the reassuring glow from the display screen.

It is to be a momentous twelve months for Hull as UK City of Culture, a celebration, a chance to show off and an outpouring of community ,creativity and collective spirit.