You shouldn't believe everything you read in the papers

It’s been an extraordinary time for me over the past few weeks, what with my appearance at The Leveson inquiry – which is looking into the ethics and practices of the press, in the wake of the phone hacking scandal.

It has meant me appearing on all sorts of radio and tv programmes, including Sky News, Newsnight, BBC Breakfast and the new ITV breakfast show, Daybreak.

Highlights have been the inquiry itself, where I met Charlotte Church, who gave evidence just before me. Now I don’t think I have met Charlotte since she was a tiny little girl – the ten year old with the Voice of An Angel – do you remember? She has matured into a lovely young mum, very smart and elegant, and almost surprisingly eloquent and articulate.

I say “almost surprising” because sadly, if you only knew Charlotte through her press (in other words, by the things that are said about her in the daily papers) you might not believe so well of her. It just brought home to me how we all make up our minds about people through the papers (unless they appear on TV and radio when you get a clearer idea of their true personality) – yet perhaps we should all remind ourselves of that old adage “you shouldn’t believe everything you read in the papers”!

Other highlights have been appearing on Newsnight with Jeremy Paxman, who was charming and bumping into my old friend, John Stapleton on Daybreak. Last time we sat together on a breakfast TV sofa was more years ago than I care to remember, during the golden days of TVam!

And, if you want to buy yourself a few golden days, how about looking out any scrap gold or other unwanted pieces of jewellery and cashing them in for handy money with Postgoldforcash.com?

It’s still a great time for gold prices per gram, and the nice friendly chaps at Post Gold For Cash will offer you a competitive price. After all, what’s the point of leaving those bits and pieces shuffling about in the back of your drawers?

The true meaning of Christmas

Lest anyone remember the true meaning of Christmas, I heartily recommend you go to at least a couple of musical concerts over the next couple of weeks. Even if you’re not particularly religious, try a gig that gets you out somewhere where the lights are bright and people are determined to be merry.

You can’t help but it puts a smile on your face. I started early this year because I was asked to host a big double event for the Salvation Army – and presented their annual carol services, two of them. It was a glorious festival of tambourines, big brass band, first class singing and little children acting out the nativity story complete with fluffy sheep and a large wooden camel on wheels.

No-one left without a big smile on their faces, and also a reminder of the fact that, no matter how down in the dumps you might feel during this recession, amid political predictions that its going to actually get worse before it gets better, there are always many less fortunate than yourself.

So while you’re doing the Post Gold For Cash thing – and perhaps you’ll have a lot of unwanted gold, silver, and other jewellery after Christmas (I hate to say it – but you just might end up with unwanted gifts), also think of recycling some other stuff – like unwanted coats, hats, scarves, and body warmers. Take them along to the Salvation Army wherever you live. At this time of year, they really need extra items of clothing to simply hand, as a gift, to the distressed, cold and homeless.

Just like I always remind people that they’ve always got spare bits of old gold jewellery that can be turned into cash the Post Gold For Cash way, I just want to nudge you to also look into your clothing cupboards, into that under-the-stairs nook, or into the back of your wardrobe for those extra, unwanted and unloved woollies. Someone, perhaps sitting in a doorway just around the corner from where you live, could well love your beanie hat, muffler or nice, warm anorak. The Salvation Army will know.

As for yourself, Postgoldforcash.com makes it so easy for you to cash in your old gold – simply get a Post Gold For Cash envelope (all the information you need is on this website), pop in your old bits and pieces of unwanted scrap gold and send it off.  Their selling gold experts will deal with it quickly and efficiently, and make you an offer that could really help you this Christmas. Smiles all round!