Dear Beckworth and the many millions of my husband Noel’s fans who will be reading this. This morning was a bittersweet day for the Edmunds clan as we waved goodbye to our youngest son Neil, the World famous ice skating champion and mime artist. We waved him off first thing this morning on the first leg of his circumnavigation of the globe on ice skates (following the route taken by the intrepid father and daughter team Torvill and Dean in the 1980s). To make the trip even more media savvy Neil has also taken a vow of dumbness and will only converse with foreign people and reporters he meets on route through the medium of mime. His brother Nial and sister Bury-Saint will accompany Neil to the Channel Ferry, which is comforting, but beyond that he will be totally on his own (His father Noel having so far failed to get Channel 4 to make a documentary of the expedition and follow Neil with a camera crew). On a brighter note, through sponsorship our son hopes to raise money for the Beckworth Ice Rink whilst raising awareness of mime, and not talking in general. You can sponsor Neil via his dad’s Deal Or No deal website or by giving us cash in person. Neil hopes to raise at least £5000 whilst on his epic 3 year journey which should be enough for the Rink to buy some new lockers and hand-dryers in the loos. I hope to keep everyone up to date on this epic adventure as Neil promises to ring me most days if his mobile phone has enough credits. Many thanks (Mrs) Nell Edmunds

(Above) An emotional Noel Edmunds waves off his children earlier today