The Robert Elms show 7th April

** if you don't listen to my slot on The Robert Elms Show, probably best to skip this one. It will seem perplexingly niche **


Hello everyone who listens to the RE show. Because I'm back with such renewed enthusiasm after so long, I thought I'd put everything I talk about in one place. Gary Crowley was fun to chat to today - next to him, my enthusiasm and vigour for the job is mere apathy.

So, today, I interviewed Noel Lynch who is the freelance auctioneer presiding over the crazy array of goods in The Green Room charity shop at 192 Archway Road N6. This was thanks to my friend AS who was always under the impression that the shop she walked past was owned by someone "with a great sense of humour", due to the hilarious descriptions of items in the window ('Roman ring, 9AD', 'tile from Hitler's bathroom', 'Cherie Blair's party dress' etc). Little did AS know that Noel Lynch's sense of humour had nothing to do with the actual literal nature of the objects he sells. He was, however, very funny. Alas, that Roman ring went for £20 yesterday. But dinosaur poo was, I think, my personal favourite - it "polishes up nicely", apparently, and is a great hit with children, or for people trying to get a present for the person who has everything...

You also might have heard me talk about how much I like the idea of sending flowers via Flowe(red) - note how hard that was to say in my accent when communicating to English listeners, given that it sounds like 'flaard'. All the profits go to The Global Fund to help fight AIDS in Africa. Which seems better to me than the profits not going to help fight AIDS in Africa. Flaard is a very good idea. (For more about (RED) and the $140 million it has already generated for The Global Fund, click here).

The shop called Totally Swedish is found at 32 Crawford Street, W1, though you can buy things from there online too. The name is a more than adequate description for what it sells - go there for moccasin sock-shoes (really, they are good) and cheese and chic home goods and, if you're actually Swedish and not just someone who thinks the Scandinavian aesthetic is aspirational, for books and magazines in Swedish. On that note, the cafe I told Gary about on Golden Square is the Nordic Bakery - seriously good warm cinnamon buns and strong coffee. One of my favourite places to go.

Wedge card has arrived in the borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which reminded me of its existence, and what a good idea it is. A loyalty card for independent shops, it's an attempt to keep local business thriving and to act as a bulwark to the generic high street. There are 1,400 shops so far across London where you can use your card for discounts and special bargains. It costs £10 for a year, with £1 going to a local charity OR in some boroughs (check here) it's free. Set up by John Bird - founder of The Big Issue - and his daughter Diana, so you can be sure it's reputable...

Finally, find out about the designer sample sale I mentioned here - it's at the Truman Brewery 23rd - 25th April (unless you sign up as a member, and you can have a sneak preview on the 22nd). Expect to find D&G, Vivienne Westwood, and other such luminaries.

Done! See you on 21st April for the next installment.