As you know I am retiring at the end of June leaving you all in the hands of the VAT inspectors! I have been very touched by various people and groups who have been surreptitiously trying to discover what I would like as a leaving present. I am very grateful and touched by the presentations thus far, but I think I have a better idea as an “end of working life” marker.

Would you join with me in donating to “Smile Train”? This is a charity that aims to make operations available to children who are born with cleft palates, the operations are usually swift, done when the children are young and the emotional and physical damage to them is therefore minimised.

I can think of no better send off than to know we have gathered round and given children the ability to smile. To start the ball rolling I will donate a sum that is equivalent to the value of those presentations I have had already. I would like to set a target of £5000 and I would like to achieve that by the time I stop pestering you with weekly bulletins, on 30 June!

If you are up for this, please donate here

Smile Train empowers medical professionals around the world with training, funding, and resources to provide free surgery and other forms of comprehensive cleft care to children in their communities. Our sustainable solution and scalable global health model drastically improve children’s lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive.

Supporting Smile Train gives a child access to a full range of cleft services they would have otherwise never received and ultimately the opportunity for a better quality of life.