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MONDAY 3RD AUGUST

Last Saturday I received an email that told me I had been selected for a place on the Anthony Gormley art installation 'One and Other'  the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square. www.oneandother.co.uk

My one hour slot is on Saturday 26th September from 4am to 5am.

My heart rose and then sank. I am running a stall in York City Centre that day with the Soroptimists. We are part of a project for WaterAid. Then I realised that an hour on the plinth was the best publicity we could have. So I shall do both, but may be a bit tired on Sunday 27th!

I have a personal charity, ChildLine. So I am offering a choice for people to contribute to.

Thank you in advance.

TUESDAY 4TH AUGUST
Have been stuck to the laptop, when I haven't been showing Fiona and Chris the glories of North Yorkshire. 
Writing to everyone I know and hoping that they will forward it to everyone they know. This is my posting:

CALLING ALL INSOMNIACSYou are invited to Trafalger Square on Saturday September 26thFrom 4am to 5am.Rita - Putting the I in ART. A celebration of families.Be there in person or online, live or later.www.oneandother.co.uk
Donations welcome:http://www.justgiving.com/fourthplinthforchildline http:/www.justgiving.com/fourthplinthforwateraid
Rita - putting the I into ART.

Why? Well, why not? 

For me, ‘One and Other’ means community and community means families. All types of families. I would like to use the hour to celebrate special families in my life and give them enormous thanks. I will also use this amazing opportunity to increase awareness for two charities. WaterAid and ChildLine

Personal family - Adrian, Katie, Mark, Paul, Jack, Joe, Nic, Noah, Carolyn, Mike, Frances, Brenda, Owen, Richard, Josie,  Amy, Deacon, Ben, Matt, Fiona & Chris.

Family of girlfriends - without whom, I may have gone crazy over the years. I’m afraid that if mention some, I’ll leave some out. But here goes: Pat, Samantha, Katie, Helen, Gail, Wendy, Val, Ailsa, Sue, Cath, Pam, Faith, Elizabeth, Maggie, Sarah-Jane, Jackie, Liz,  Mary, Ann, Marjorie,Lorna and Sylvia. 

Human Givens Therapy family - Ivan, Joe, all at Chalvington HQ, Bill, Piers, Wendy, Peter, Gail, Jenny, Julian, Ingrid, Ralph, Sally, Pam S, Pam Y, June, Hilary, Elly, Julia, Jane, Joy, Peter and many others.

(www.hgi.org/www.yorkhumangivens.co.uk) 

Church families - St James, New Malden. All Saints, Marlow. St Philp & St James, York

Soroptimist International family - York, UK & worldwide. 

http://soroptimist-gbi.co.uk  Awareness. Action. Advocacy. By women for women. See below.

Chocolate tasting family at Nestle - Dennis, Richard, Marie, Amy, Sally, Loobie, Pat, Lucy, Maggie.

Richard Bacon’s Special family (BBC Radio 5) - you know who you are.

...and not forgetting the family of plinthers.

When September 26th was given to me, my heart rose and then sank.  I remembered that I’m running a stall for the Soroptimists International York Ebor in York city centre. We are raising awareness of the lack of sanitation in parts of the world through the charity Water Aid.

Then I though, what better place to increase awareness than the 4th plinth. So, thank to those who are having to cover my initial absence. I’m collecting for ChildLine and Water Aid

http://www.wateraid.org/uk/get_involved/community_groups/professional_groups/soroptimists/default.asp

On reflection, Trafalgar Square and London has provided some fun stories over six decades, so I will share them too.
WEDNESDAY 5th AUGUST
Great response in first. 24 hours. Some great messages from friends, who generally think I'm barking, plus a start to donations into both charities. Wonderful.
Been watching some of the live link and past plinthers. The guy playing football appeared oblivious of his limited space and in contrast I admired Jez, who last night suffered appalling vertigo, but kept going to the end, clinging to the pole.
I know how I want it to look on the plinth, just  getting my head round the logistics.