Dear FOG ( Friends of Gloria ),

Stand back and be amazed! Totally unexpected, this suddenly arrived through the Post one morning.

Not only this post card with a sundial picture on the reverse, but money, and I mean real money. Not just 50P but, believe it or not, Forty Pounds!

As you know, I have never had any money of my own, not a penny so far in all my years. Anything that comes my way is all charity

Suddenly I find I am worth good money with the commission to give it away, and not just to give it all away but to decide to whom to give it! This is tremendous.

My friend Frank in Cambridge has been having a delve into my collected letters, and this result is his wish!

On the reverse of his post card is this sundial

Frank had been asked to produce the design as a special memorial.

Then it was Annika who engraved the huge chunk of slate.

The more often I see this picture the more I think she could be an interesting person to meet.

The finished work can be seen high on a building half way along Newnham Walk, Cambridge. However you will be surprised to find it is not an ordinary dial to tell the sun’s time. It says it is an ‘Unequal Hours’ dial. Personally I can’t yet tell you what it tells you. There is a six at the bottom where any respectable sundial would have a twelve, so when you find out, you tell me!

But let’s get on with my interest with this considerable amount of Frank’s cash. A Gloria going around with real money in her hands is vastly more important in the public mind than a Gloria existing on absolutely nothing. Money for me not just to keep but to give away! Money is Power.

If you’ve got cash then you get noticed. If you plan to give it away, then you can become the centre of a screaming mob!

I will not bore you with choosing from the thousands of charities. In my time I have connected with several of them, but to cut a long story short I have decided to return to lend my aura of charm and regal air to Christian Aid.

As you know, there is nothing like a notable patron or president for raising the profile of a good cause.

Accordingly the district Treasurer for Christian Aid, Richard, has laid aside his commitments in order to visit, joining with the other local workers.

The question of course is what to wear in the circumstances. Not the bikini this time; the Treasurer is bringing his wife Kathleen. I have also been told not to wear a Christian Aid jacket because on this occasion I am not a worker. Today I am on the outside, doing the giving. I hope you like this smart suiting I have found. Rather special, although not quite over the knees.

I will tell you a strange thing. When asking for some Christian Aid display material for this special event it seemed it had all been sent back to headquarters and put in storage, being out of season! Same as Christmas! However, on applying pressure, gradually bits reappeared from attics and broom cupboards, particularly red carrier bags en masse!

Another friend, also called Frank, happened to be passing with his wife and grandchildren while we were being set up, and paused for a chat.

This was our chance to gather for the presentation

Rosemary, of course, whilst wearing her carrier bag, wanted to get a picture.

It was good fun, and I enjoyed it. Now I can return to being regal without having any money whatsoever.

With much love to you in these exciting days, Gloria.