i Editor's Letter: The i's Christmas auction

Today we reach out to i's humane and generous readers for our annual Christmas appeal. On pages 30-31 you will find Paul Vallely's tale about the horrific reality of child soldiers in the Central African Republic, a cause which has fallen off the radar since the ubiquitous Kony 2012 video earlier this year. You will hear much more about this over the next couple of weeks. This Unicef-backed campaign is worth paying attention to.

On behalf of that same appeal, we launch i's Christmas auction. If you fancy a return trip for four on Unicef-supporter easyJet or a trek around London's Underground with our own institution, Simon Calder, there are lots for you.

A fascinating tour of the Somme battlefield with John Lichfield is a highly prized lot, or what about a lecture for you and your friends on the subject of Islam and the West from Robert Fisk? If that's too highbrow, then there is a visit to Loose Women with Janet Street-Porter.

Culture buffs might prefer Shakespeare at the Globe or a gig at The O2. There is also a signed copy of Roger Moore's autobiography. Sports fan? What price a round of golf and lunch at Wentworth with The Independent's editor, Chris Blackhurst; or why not visit Leeds United's training ground for lunch with manager and i columnist Neil Warnock?

If none of the above, or any other lot, appeals to you, then why not bid for lunch at London's renowned The Ivy restaurant with yours truly and tell me why, and what else you think of i. The second prize? Two lunches... I'm here all week. Really.