Grinning like a Cheshire Cat - even though I'm a penguin

I say! Isn’t Cheshire just spiffing? It’s the home of Lewis Carroll. Author of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the man who made popular the grinning Cheshire Cat.

I’ve spent much of this afternoon at Cheshire Oaks Shopping Mall meeting people like Nicole Cannon, from Elton, and lots and lots of eager bargain hunters. One or two people told me they were Christmas shopping and asked that I pass their letters on to Santa Claus. But I couldn’t possibly do that – he lives in the North Pole.

This part of Cheshire is of course a celebrity hotspot and I was delighted to see a bit of showbiz shopping from Terri Dwyer of Hollyoaks – we get that on Freeze-View too. I waved but she mustn’t have seen me.

Frustratingly, I didn’t have time to hit the shops myself. Which is a pity, because my mum specifically asked that I pick her out a pair of designer heels. There’ll be no herring sorbet for me when I get home.

Forgive me mum, I was just too busy. The good people of Cheshire were out in force this afternoon to hear how the NHS can help them give up smoking, and I’m happy to report we were able to get that message out to young and old alike.

Well, it’s been a very busy day and I need to wind down before bedtime. Chester Zoo isn’t far away and it would be good to catch up on some penguin gossip. I also hear the Blue Planet Aquarium is just over the road. I wonder if they’ll let me have a swim?

Would you like to quit smoking? Call the Penguin Stop Smoking Hotline on 0800 032 7252.

See you tomorrow morning in Lancaster!