Saturday 21 August 2010

The Tonsilpus adventure

Well, thank you all very much for being so enthusiastic about this! I have so far received almost thirty invites for him to travel across the USA, Australia, New Zealand and other far-flung (and a few not-so far-flung) places.

So, the plan is to create a Facebook group which you should all join when you get the invite (I will place a button on here). Then I will send out a little form for you to fill in if you are taking custody of him. I'll need to know where he's going, when and what you plan to do with him. All of your personal stuff; name and address, will be kept strictly private but I need to have a valid postal address.

Mr Tonsilpus will travel with a little passport which custodians will sign and record a little note in, stating where he's been. You may photograph him and video him and they can be shared with everyone on the FB page.

Then, after your holding period is up, I will email you to advise you of his next destination. This means, of course that you will have the next person's mailing address and will be responsible for posting him off (at you own cost, I'm afraid) but I will try to keep the next destination within reason to limit your postage costs.

If you don't mind this, then please re-apply when the Facebook page is up. Incidentally, my email address has always been accessible via the blog - it's thexfileman@aol.com.

The DEADLINE for initial applications (just an email or message to say you want him) will be the 1st of September. After that, he will be prepared and sent off to the first applicant, probably in the UK for a tour of his home ground before setting off abroad. Of course, you can still apply to have him as he travels but I will want him posted off in a logical way to limit the time he is exposed to the outside world (he's only little and a bit fragile).

He will return to a UK host before finally coming back to me at my office address in London.

This is all a bit of fun but I'd like, with your permission, to do something magnanimous with him - if this goes well, I'd like everyone who is taking him (and those of who are just watching) to contribute a little bit to a charity that I have in mind. A link will be set up so that you can donate directly to it and then, when he returns home with all his experience and a fully completed passport, I will auction him off, passport and all - again for charity.

If you want to ave a little Tonsilpus of your own, I can ask Lottie - who made him - to knit you your very own Mr T! Just email me and I will pass on the request. She will probably need to charge for him but I will leave that to you and her.

What do you think? If he travels to a lot of places, I might pack myself in an envelope and try it!

Xf

8 comments:

joan said...

Hi xf
we off on our travels 1st to phwelli on 20 sept, followed by york on 27 sept,if tonsilpus wants 2 hitch a lift ill look after him lol bed breakfast and eve meal included
hope u all well
joan from the midlands

Lynda Halliger Otvos (Lynda M O) said...

I would love to show Tonsilpus the Big Trees and the Seals at Pier 39 in SF California. I can think of ten more places to take his picture!!

Uncle J said...

Hi, Stuart.

Why not let Mr T have a little 'me time' before setting off, and go to a couple of London events?

I suggest Lord's for the Test Match, or Notting Hill Carnival? LAS will be present and could chaperon him?

Jo said...

Query on the donation link - I won't be able to do anything if it is via Paypal (I refuse to use them after a fairly nasty incident with them a few years ago) - how are you likely to be setting it up?

Xf said...

Jo

I'm not sure yet but it will probably be a direct link for the charity itself. I will leave it up to each individual to decide if they wish to donate. Having Mr T with you is not a pre-requisite.

Xf said...

Uncle J

I had thought of that and I think it's a good idea. I'll be speaking to people about taking him out but if you can help, let me know. A few of those events would be good to get him in the spirit of things :-)

The Young Mummy said...

Id love to have him up in historic Durham

arkonite_babe said...

Does Mr T fancy a visit to Northern Ireland? I've applied to the facebook group. Oh and he will also be visiting members of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service if he comes to stay :)