Happy Friday, gentle sector. Another month, another change of charity minister. Lord Kamall, we hardly knew ye. According to Kamall’s updated Twitter profile, he continues to be “inspired by local non-state civil society”. Diary can’t help wondering what national, state-funded charities said to offend Kamall during his blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tenure. It is a pretty sad state of affairs to lose your job in a world where Tofu-nemesis Suella Braverman can be reappointed to hers, but we eagerly await news of Kamall's successor.
The week began with the clocks going back, a less arduous task in the digital age. But spare a thought for the National Trust, who had 4,000 to manually adjust.
Absolute scenes at the National Trust this morning. We have more than 4,000 clocks. pic.twitter.com/qSs6r0K6fr
— Celia Richardson (@CeliaRichards0n) October 30, 2022
Then on Monday was Halloween, when the Telegraph reported that police attended a charity-fundraising spooky display at Shortlands train station in south London after receiving a complaint about it being “un-Christian”.
The display, which featured a fake body being run over by a car driven by a skeleton, was expected to raise thousands for Demelza Hospice Care for Children.
Diary agrees with the complainer. Too many people these days forget the religious origins of Halloween, which started when Jesus and his childhood mates went round their neighbours’ houses demanding sweets if they didn’t fancy their French windows getting egged.
To mark bonfire night this weekend, Classic FM has once again teamed up with the RSPCA to produce two radio programmes to keep pets calm during the fireworks.
This charming video shows RSPCA rescue dog Frank getting lost in the piano playing of composer-pianist Alberto Giurioli, although he does seem to get a little distracted halfway through.
.@RSPCA_official rescue dog, Frank, meets star composer-pianist @AlbertoGiurioli, ahead of our special show for furry friends during fireworks season, Pet Classics. 🐾 pic.twitter.com/9c66ws3ywx
— Classic FM (@ClassicFM) November 3, 2022
But the music is not just for canines, reader! According to Classic FM, cats, rabbits, hamsters, horses, tortoises, parrots, hedgehogs, goldfish and an iguana have all tuned in over the years.
Diary isn’t sure whether the radio station includes the animals in its official listening figures but feels that it should, particularly if homo-sapien classical music fans are dwindling.
In other news
Actor Dominic West said this week that he offered to resign as an ambassador of the Prince’s Trust after being cast as Prince Charles in Royal Family biopic The Crown over a potential conflict of interest.
But West said he received a letter from the now-King’s private secretary, turning down his resignation, and approving of his casting.
Queen consort Camilla also approves of West’s casting, it appears, as she apparently cheekily called him “your majesty” at a party last year.
Meanwhile, congratulations are in order as charity think tank Global Warming Policy Foundation won a Rusty Razor award for pseudoscience this week.
Founded by Nigella Lawson’s dad in 2009, the climate change-sceptic charity joins the ranks of Gwyneth Paltrow, who was honoured for her extreme genital cleanliness TV series Goop five years ago.
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