As many of you are aware, Peter Doherty is currently in hospital having suffered a torn aorta a couple of weeks back. After some complications, and having spent over a week in an induced coma, the good news is that he’s now awake and, though still extremely unwell, is starting to improve.

However, he’s now facing at least 2-3 weeks in hospital, then an extended period of convalescence. During this time, I think the last thing he should have on his mind is the financial pressure of being unable to work. I’m hoping therefore that his friends, colleagues and associated comic geeks might like to offer a little help.

I’ve been in ongoing contact with his daughter, Hope, and suggested to her that a crowdfunding page could be set up so that people could make a donation to him, no matter how small. Her thinking is that, if any money is raised by this, it should be Peter’s decision - when he’s well enough - as to how it’s used, whether as originally intended (to offer some support to him) or perhaps he might choose to donate any money raised to the hospital unit that cared for him.

In the next week or so it’s also the intention to set up a website for him, which - as well as explaining the situation - will also appeal for donations of artwork from the comic community that can be auctioned to raise yet more money for him.

So right now, please think about scratting around the back of the sofa to see if you can muster enough change to donate a couple of quid. In addition though, please share this message as far and wide as you can!

By the way, ‘I’ am Carl Waite, and have been a close friend of Peter’s since he was 11 years old (we went to the same school). Also involved in this website/crowdfunding/auction malarkey are Stuart Gibbins and Tracy Wilkinson, also long-time friends of Peter. We have his daughter's blessing to go ahead with this.