Christmas Appeal: To the Tower with Tracey Emin or in the garden with Anna Pavord?

The prospect of spending a day exploring the Tower of London with the artist Tracey Emin is topping current bids for The Independent's charity auction, with the price standing at £3,500 last night.

With only eight days until the 41 lots go under the hammer on 23 December, bids continued to rise yesterday.

The prospect of a lecture by Robert Fisk on Middle Eastern affairs is also attracting heavy interest, with bidding for the chance for 12 people to attend a lunchtime lecture in The Independent's boardroom reaching £1,993.17.

Football lovers were getting competitive over the chance for a reader and their family to join Graeme Le Saux, the television presenter and former Chelsea and England footballer, on the set of BBC's Match of the Day 2, with bidding now at £1,300.

The Independent's gardening writer, Anna Pavord, will give expert advice to turn a backyard into a beauty spot. Bidding is hotting up at £1,500, though not yet up to the £3,500 offered last year.

There are plenty of bargains. Music lovers can join Alex James, the Blur bass player and Independent columnist, on a tour of his recording studio when he cuts his next record. Bidding stands at £520, compared to £950 last year.

Or is there a major sporting event coming up in your life? From your son's first rugby match to the pub darts final, we'll send an Independent sports writer along to report on it. The highest bid so far is a bargain £265, compared to £1,051 last year.

The auction closes at 1pm on Friday 23 December and all winning bids go to The Independent's Christmas Appeal, A Better Place. Donations are split among three charities: Education Action International, Children in Crisis and Practical Action.

* A Better Place charity auction: bid now!

* A Better Place: Donate now!

* A Better Place: Full appeal links.