• TO lift my spirits during last week’s cold weather I visited Islington’s Union Chapel for an evening of collective laughter. It was a fundraising event for English PEN. Its aim is as follows: “Freedom to write. Freedom to read.”

If that all sounds a bit serious and po-faced it couldn’t be further from the truth. The event was organised by Alex Grace, a resident of Golden Lane, and featured comedians John Hegley, Ronnie Golden, Sindhu Vee, Kevin Eldon and Miles Jupp.

It was the perfect antidote to the usual diet of gloom. I walked home in a great mood and I’m sure the concert helped to end the cold spell. We need all the laughter we can get so a big thank-you to all the participants.

BOB STARRETT
Barbican, EC2