Pudsey be proud!

It’s been a very long time since I was involved in Children in
  Need myself – fronting it for BBC South West. To be honest, it was always a  complete joy to see the fundraising and the outcome, but quite stressful to  cope with the cold and the chaos.
 Thermals were very often the order of the day and there
was usually an adrenaline overdose as a producer whispered into your earpiece  “coming to you, Teresa” when you were, ahem, not quite expecting  it!
 These days I really enjoy watching the show "from the other side"  with a glass of  wine and a log fire. Inevitably - I always feel for all the current presenters  and the production team. It’s a mammoth professional challenge to stage the show  and  - guys; you did a great job  last night. But the real herograms, of course, go  to the fundraisers and the amazing children and families who share their  inspirational stories.
 I particularly loved that so many films last night  allowed the parents and the children to  do all the talking themselves.   These stories are not always easy to watch.  But  it is so very important to show the reality. What the fundraising is really  for.

 I am personally very passionate about the work that  hospices do so I was especially touched to see excellent films explaining what  these wonderful charities are truly about – namely helping children and their families to make  the very most of precious time. 
 
I worked for a time helping a Devon hospice for adult  care with its PR work and I have rarely felt that my writing life has been more  worthwhile.  So – well done  Children In Need.

 A record-breaking total says a lot about the kindness out  there.

 Precious time, indeed. Pudsey – be  proud.
 

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