A slightly surreal evening

For reasons I'm a little unclear about - though apparently I was "on a couple of people's lists" - I am invited to the launch of Now I am a Person, a book linked to the Umthombo Street Children project. The venue is 11 Downing Street.

Have to admit it's all slightly weird. The author/photographer of the book says a few very well chosen words, Simon Mayo interviews the Umthombo founders, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer is present. The contrast between the location and the reason for the event is also quite poignant.

The most surreal part of the evening is when a small Scottish women, full of energy, bounds up to our small group and says, "Hello, I'm Maggie Darling." It takes me a moment to put two and two together and work put that she is 'Mrs Chancellor of the Exchequer'.

So, a slightly surreal, but throughly enjoyable evening.