Charity Work, & MRI scans

Well howdy there! Sorry I've been a stranger but life has had a strange velocity all of it's own....things catch up on you.... plus my neck has been giving serious jip recently....so I haven't been on the computer. I had an MRI scan on my neck the other week, so just now waiting for the results. Cross fingers it won't take another 3 months to receive a response.


Anyway....positive and fun things!!!!

Darren & I volunteered to man the 'phones for this years Comic Relief - The Big One Telethon!

Yes, we mad nutters gave up a perfectly good Friday evening/night to man the telephones for charity. Comic Relief is a fantastic and very very large charity which helps people around the world and in the UK out of poverty. Our workplace holds 3000+ staff, and is the HQ for the Disability Benefits of the UK....we have in total 5-6million claimants, so you can imagine the place is rather large, with the longest office corridors in Europe...





We take enquiries from all over the UK in our call centre, and that is where Darren and I spent Friday evening, doing our bit to help the donations into the Comic Relief pot. We hit the phone terminals at 6.30, ready to go live at 7pm, when the all-night television launched on BBC.


It's not just the BBC though- all the channels help out- yep, even the commercial ones donate free clips and actors/etc. to help the fantastic work. A cracking time was had by all- atmosphere, as usual, hyper, everyone on a high. We were all volunteers... promotion grade doesn't matter. Infact we were sat on the desk with the Chief Exec of the Agency (speaks directly to the Minister) who was doing his bit too! I must admit I didn't realise until D discreetly pointed it out that we'd been having a good laugh with Terry Moran (so used to seeing him in photos wearing suits.....not across from me wearing jeans and jumper with a red nose on his head!)





Where you live doesn't seem to matter either. We had volunteers up from London and across from Dublin this year wanting to take take donations and be part of the experience!! (and remember, we all do this for free...)

D and I had a great time, clocking up some great donations and thoroughly enjoying chatting with the army of volunteers and the generous people calling to donate.




Here's to helping take over £40 million in donations...

(excerpt from Red Nose Day Website)

The Big One Raises Record Red Nose Day Cash

Comic Relief - The Big One - raised a massive £40,236,142 million - the biggest ever total on a Red Nose Day night and the money is still pouring in!

The mammoth seven hour show on BBC ONE, featured the biggest line up of presenters ever including Jonathan Ross, Russell Brand, Lenny Henry, Davina McCall, Graham Norton, Paul O'Grady, Fearne Cotton, Kate Thornton and Chris Evans, who was overwhelmed by the success of the show, saying 'This is by far the most exciting Comic Relief night I've ever been to - it's the best comedy ever'.

Some of the most memorable highlights include Catherine Tate's schoolgirl character Lauren turning up to 'bovver' Prime Minister Tony Blair at Number 10; Ricky Gervais' special 'appeal film' starring Sir Bob Geldof, Bono, Stephen Merchant, Jamie Oliver and Andi Peters; and of course Borat's live link from Kazakhstan.

Special reports were also provided by Billy Connolly and Ant & Dec who had visited Comic Relief funded projects in Africa and showed how the money you raise makes a big difference.

It was an amazing night with an amazing result thanks to you! The money you donated will make a huge difference to people's lives.




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