On top of the new play, there are more things bubbling along in the Oli-melting pot at the moment, all grabbing my attention here, there and everywhere – that’s how I love it, though.
First off, and most importantly, there’s the Activ8 Youth Theatre show at Milton Keynes Theatre, which is coming up on April 22nd and is coming together really nicely in rehearsals at the moment. We’re currently chatting about marketing strategies and getting all the info on the show out to a wider audience than would normally support a Youth Theatre show, mostly because a) the kids and young people taking part really deserve a full house to show what they’ve achieved and b) it’s all in aid of the CF Trust.
So if you’ve nothing in your diary for April 22nd, click here NOW and book your tickets to come and see the show. It’s going to be a knock-out and the earlier you book, the better seats you’ll get, because they’re all priced at a fiver – that’s cheaper than a night at the cinema!
Beyond April, the LLTGL team have a couple of projects we’re starting to look at, including looking ahead to a repeat of Laughter for Life next March, following the immense success of this year’s show.
We’re also looking at the possibility of organising some kind of a rally – maybe in super-cheap cars – which would take place in early autumn and involve a jaunt around the British Isles in some form or other. And, naturally, would end in a nice big party when you reach the finish.
There’s lots of good ideas bouncing about and I think it’s something we’re going to pursue soon, but it’s just a case of nailing down the format and looking at logistics and things like that.
Keep your eyes peeled for more info as and when.
On top of all of that, I’ve got the new issue of CF Talk to turn around and get off to the designers so we can get it out at leat vaguely in the right timescale. OK, so it’s still going to be as late as ever, but I promise it’s going to be good.
If you’re not already on the mailing list to receive CF Talk and you’d like to (it’s free, from the CF Trust) just email here with your name and full address and we’ll make sure you get a copy.
So just a few bits and bobs going on for the moment – nothing too drastic.
Oh, and I also received an email from Bill Bryson yesterday, letting me know how hugely successfully the organ donor campaign has been going at Durham University, where he is currently chancellor. Not only that, but that he was taking the campaign idea to chancellors of all the other uni’s today to see if we can’t take it nationwide.
I met Bill around this time last year at the CF Trust’s Breathing Life Awards and immediately hi-jacked him for an interview with CF Talk at some point later in the year. Sure enough, he obliged only to happily and our brief 15-20 minute phone chat turned into nearly an hour.
In the middle of the call, while I was supposed to be interviewing him, I mentioned the fact that I was waiting for a transplant (it was actually in the context of a question about holiday destinations) and he turned the interview around and positively grilled me (in the nicest possible way) about transplants, the organ donor register and the problems that we have with donation in this country.
From then on, things seemed to take a life of their own and it only seemed that a light jogging was needed from Bill to his students for them to shoot off and go crazy with the idea – running off T-shirts and organising the campaign with amazing professionalism, it would seem.
Apparently, although I’ve yet to see the “merchandise”, it all centres around the hook, “My friend Oli…”. Being the naturally shy, introverted type that I am, I obviously feel very uncomfortable about all of this, and the prospect of yet more attention being focused not only on Transplant, but on me personally. However, sometimes in life you have to make personal sacrifices for a greater cause, and I feel that this is one of those times.
I mean, come on, a campaign named after me!?! Pretty soon it won’t be lack of portable oxygen keeping me in the house, it’ll be a head too big to go through the door….