I don't think this counts as unfair promotion of a Catter's own CD, because it's free and charitable!

In summer, I posted a request for hard-hitting Christmas songs, and some imaginative replies inspired a spin-off project. So here in Oxfordshire, England, we have recently been recording our 'alternative' Christmas – same theme, but not a carol or standard nativity story in sight. This recording uses stories and poems, including such unusual items as Joseph's letter home to his mother from Bethlehem (super item, written by an American pastor) and an adaptation of the legend of the fourth wise man.

The near-finished result is of broadcastable quality (which in itself is amazing for anything I'm involved with!) It is a half-hour programme on offer, free, to hospital radio stations, talking newspapers for the blind, prison chaplains, schools, and so on. They can have a CD or cassette and use it whole, or take bits to insert into their own projects. We go into the studio to master it on 18th October, and the product will be available virtually immediately afterwards.

I want it to be free, because my aim is to promote interest and support for our charity Health Help International, which buys medical supplies for remote clinics in the poor areas of rural Zambia – incredibly, in one place we work, the health of ten thousand people is served by just one travelling nurse, who arrives only once a month and generally has no medicines (you can read the whole chilling story at www.skywriter.demon.co.uk ). However, I hope anyone who uses the recording will acknowledge it with a donation of any amount, a few pounds or dollars, to our work.

My big problem, of course, is this – I don't know what the demand will be. I've budgeted for a small number of CDs and cassettes for hospital radio and talking newspaper studios, but if the idea takes off like a bloody rocket, my already-stretched finances might explode. I really don't want to have to 'sell' it as such, so I need to measure interest as early as possible.

Here's the offer - any Catter involved in a charity or cause which could genuinely use this project is welcome to send me a PM, or contact me through www.skywriter.demon.co.uk , let me know what you need it for, and I'll keep you uptodate with progress and availability. The offer is open worldwide - however, despatch of a lot of CDs to the States could be an expensive prospect, so if anyone can lead me to a charitably-minded and tech-aware individual or organisation who might be willing to take a master and run off some copies to distribute there, that would be a great help.

Fullest uptodate details already at: www.skywriter.demon.co.uk

Best wishes, all. - Ian B, Oxfordshire, England.