THERE’S not much that brings me back to the UK these days. Visiting family is the main exception to the rule, but my son Scott and grandson Ashley run the family business, WEFIX, and most media work I can do from my villa in Spain.
There is one other thing that pulls me back to Britain and that’s to support some of the charities I’ve been working with for years. And when one of my all time favourite charities Variety, summons me to Manchester for its Legends Awards, I’m on the plane, no question.
Last year at the same event it was my pleasure to present my friend, James Whale MBE, with a Broadcasting Legend award, which was an emotional moment.
Speaking of awards, it turns out I’m now a columnist for an award-winning paper, since The Olive Press scooped up the Best English Newspaper prize in last month’s Joan Hunt Diputacion de Malaga Awards. Oh, and did I mention while I was up north supporting Variety to reach an ‘on the night’ total of £150,000 they called me up on stage for an Entrepreneurial Legend award. A great night and I was very honoured. This time I even managed to get off stage without upsetting that busybody TV doctor Ranj Singh!
I’ve always believed that part of the obligation of businesses is to be part of, and give something back, to the communities that support them, which is why snce we started WEFIX the company has donated £1 for every job we’ve done to the Shooting Star Children’s Hospice.
I know The Olive Press are big fans of Spanish charities like Cudeca Cancer Care Hospice and homeless shelter, Asociacion Adintre, both of which I have also donated to.
As a newspaper with a very defined community – the readers of 100,000 copies a month and the 1 million monthly visitors to the website – I know that a huge part of what makes The Olive Press Newspaper of the Year is being in tune with its readers.
It’s a shame more businesses in the UK and Spain understand this crucial relationship with customers Politicians the world over could also do worse than carry through on the promises they make to their communities.
