Tom Daley rides through Bridport

I went into town today to see a friend and couldn't believe how busy it was. There were more people around than since before the first lockdown. People were lining the streets. I asked someone what they were waiting for and she told me Tom Daley was riding through for Comic Relief. The town crier was ringing his bell (it was better when we had a woman crier) and all the red-robed town knobs were there to wave. I couldn't resist a quick photgraph as I walked by, and love the expression  of the woman taking a snap in this snatched snapshot.

I can't quite get "celebrity" and wanting to turn out for a brief glimpse of someone famous. I applaud his effort and the cause and idea of the challenge, but I also have a bit of a problem with charites. I always feel that nearly everything that charities campaign for and all the good work, is something that should be provided by our society as a basic minimum. I have this niggling feeling that we are being conned by the rich, robber barons of industry and the city, who hide behind philanthropy to salve their consciences and hide the true disgrace of their theft from us all. Then they persuade us we should do it as well. I shudder when I read commemorative plaques on statues of kings and queens that state the money was raised by public donations: what kind of coercion went on?

If it hadn't been for the coincidence of seeing Tom Daley (I struggled to be sure I knew who he was) I would have posted a picture of a door: so I have posted that as well.