Have passed the message on and written to Ally.

This is a REAL bummer considering it was Ally who inspired, initiated and guided the SwarbAid project, which raised a boatload of dosh for Dave when he was down. It started as a cheer-up gesture before Dave knew he was getting a lung+heart transplant - which was all over before the last of the cash came rolling in.

This hits home for three reasons. First Ally is an absolutely wonderful chap, a truly great writer, player and singer, with more integrity in his little finger than the rest of us have in all our houses. Second, I've had a few problems in the liver areas myself, and third, only last week we went to see the Imagined Village at the Leeds Irish Centre. It was the first time we'd been since the biggest and best of our SwarbAid gigs, and we were saying how well it had all turned out for Swarb.

And now here's Ally in this situation. Not fair.

Raise your glasses (water only please) in recognition of one of Scotland's finest.

Ally - this is just a blip. 'I wish I could give someone else me liver - on a Monday morning' (Tawney). I'd offer you mine but it's not much better than yours!

love to Fatima too

Tom

Alistair Hulett