Big spenders

There's yet more coming in - dontations and pledges that is. Alasdair MacConnell (no relation to our former FM, I don't think) managing director of Cala Properties and his marketing manager Susan Macrae arranged to donate £100 on behalf of Cala. Thanks, guys, and Susan, hope to see you at the next Women's Informal (more on that later).

I've also had pledges from Jane Wood at Alliance Boots, James Will at top law firm Shepperd & Wedderburn and from Roger Pitt, head of Insider's faithful, longstanding Kent-based printers Headley Brothers. Apparenly Roger himslef has jumped out of a plane twice. So thanks for the cash and thanks for living to tell me about your skydiving experience (!).

So it's official, the second Women's Informal networking event is going ahead at the Radisson SAS Royal Mile at the end of August. It's very simple - I invite some of the interesting women I tend to meet day to day and we drink some wine - so kindly supplied by Radisson SAS and voila - fun! Plus the tenner I charge goes to reducing the £20k I owe to BoobyBirds... If you are reading this and I missed inviting you, give me a shout - easkeland@insider.co.uk. There might still be capacity.