Friday 10 January 2014

Home to help


Welcome to rainy Belfast where, as I touched down around an hour ago (I was in a plane, you see) the running total to Help Wee Oliver Walk had smashed through the £7,000 barrier.

Overnight, Lord Sugar and - get this - Joan Collins added their names to the ever-growing list of big name stars to Tweet in support of our little hero who needs to raise £60,000 to have his life-changing operation. 

Since I last updated you on all matters Master Dickey, Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness, England Test cricketer Boyd Rankin, Match of the Day commentator Guy Mowbray and Young Apprentice maverick James McCullagh have also publicly backed our man.

And very impressive items for auction have been generously donated by boxers James DeGale and Martin Rogan, and the Belfast Giants ice hockey team - to name just the latest.

As I tap this out in a station cafe accompanied by an over-priced mug of tea, Oliver's mum Charlene and friends are hosting a fundraising coffee morning in Danske Bank in Coleraine. At least we can be assured there's plenty of money in there.

And the supportive media coverage continues to pile up with the Daily Mirror (above) and Belfast Telegraph joining Ulster Television, the Belfast Newsletter, the Coleraine Chronicle and the Coleraine Times in promoting this most worthy of causes. 

I'm due to meet up with Charlene, Neil, Oliver and Max Dickey on Sunday afternoon. But before then, I have a few other interesting little encounters lined-up. That's how we roll in Northern Ireland.

First pint at 12.45pm. It's good to be home.