My heart goes out to all the Australian wild fire victims | Cheryl Gibbs

It kills me to watch beautiful Australia, the place of my birth, reduced to flames.
Residents look on as flames burn through bush in Lake Tabourie, Australia, New South Wales. Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty ImagesResidents look on as flames burn through bush in Lake Tabourie, Australia, New South Wales. Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
Residents look on as flames burn through bush in Lake Tabourie, Australia, New South Wales. Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty Images

With raging bush fires spreading at such an alarming rate, the entire country is being so badly affected that nearly a billion animals have been scorched to death, and 25 people have died thus far. Countless people are now homeless.

It’s tragic, it’s just beyond comprehension. Lots of stars and ordinary folk have donated money but it’s going to take a lot of dosh to help put these fires out.

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If you can help, in any way, including monetary donations, please do.

Our Aussie counterparts need our help and even just a couple of pounds each will make a difference.

Parenting class revealed more than I’d expected

Matt and I went to the first of our parenting classes last weekend.

It was held in Petersfield and it’s something we’ll be doing now pretty much once a week, for the next seven weeks, in the run up to little baby Kingston arriving.

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I was really looking forward to attending the course, and not just to ask questions about the baby.

I’m also hoping we will meet other first-time parents and form some new friendships with people going through it at the same time as us.

One of the first things we had to do was to go round the group finding people who met a particular criteria based on the information we were given.

Please believe me when I tell you, I blooming hate team-building and getting-to-know-you tasks.

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You had to find someone who, for example, drove the same car as you, did the same type of job, or someone who had the same colour eyes.

It is designed to get you out of your comfort zone and talk to strangers.

Actually, it was a pretty decent ice-breaker except, for the part where I became known in the group as the one and only person who watches soaps.

First of all, I find this hard to believe, and secondly, the one and only soap I watch is Neighbours which I felt I had to justify to these perfect strangers pretty darn quickly.

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Members of the group came up to me saying things like, ‘I hear you’re the lady who likes to watch Soaps’.

I then had to repeat that in fact the only one I watch is Neighbours – although I don’t know if I should have admitted that or not.

Even Matt kept quiet about our interest in the popular Aussie TV show.

If that wasn’t bad enough, it came to the point where each person in attendance had to say one thing about being pregnant that they wanted to share or were anxious about.

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When it came to Matt, he decided to tell the group that I’m really needy and that he thinks I may struggle with it.

They all laughed and now every one of them knows a little bit more about me than I had intended!

Ricky has come a long way since Wernham-Hogg days

It won’t surprise you that I think Ricky Gervais is one very funny guy.

Last week, he hosted the Golden Globe awards for, in his words, ‘the fifth and final time’.

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I’m sure he’s right because he managed to offend most of the celebs in the room.

But in true Ricky style he got away with it….just. He poked fun at the whole of Hollywood, and mocked actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio, 50, and his liking for young women.

Leo took it pretty well but Tom Hanks looked shell-shocked throughout most of Ricky’s opening speech.

I thought Ricky did a great job and if nothing else he certainly went out with a bang. If only for the wrong reasons…

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