Making dreams come true

To the Dorchester on Saturday evening for my biggest auction of the year, the Make-a-Wish Ball. This tremendous charity grants wishes to children and young people fighting life-threatening illnesses; it may be a trip to Disneyland, the chance to ride in a helicopter, or to walk onto the pitch with the captain of Manchester Utd. Last year they granted 600 such wishes, and the crowd that packed the Dorchester ballroom were as generous as ever. After a wonderful cabaret from Jersey Boys, the auction began, and raised £210,000. The evening overall made half a million pounds for the charity. Yes, we are in the middle of a recession and facing the credit crunch, but people remain immensely generous when it comes to such a worthwhile cause. I arrived home around 1.30am, thankful that there are people - unsung, unpaid, and unheralded - who give their time year after year.