Richard's Blog - 2011

Wales first UK country to propose opt out for organ donation

Many congratulations to Lesley Griffiths, the Health Minister of Wales for being the first UK country to propose an opt out system for organ donation. This move will save many lives. May Scotland and England follow promptly so even more lives can be saved. On behalf of Fiona and all others who are waiting life saving organs, thank you.…

It’s not rocket science - actually, it is

Spending time with the Virgin Galactic team and future astronauts today. We had another successful rocket test earlier this week. Congratulations to all the team. Fantastic progress.I was speaking with the chief scientist at Virgin Galactic about why there had been a slight delay in the propulsion system. He responded: "You know how hard rocket science is? Well it’s much harder than that!"

More films that make a difference

Thanks for all the feedback on films that make a difference to you. Among the most popular answers were Sharkwater, The Shawshank Redemption, The Help and Pay it Forward. All of your suggestions got me thinking about a few more films that make a difference to me. One particularly popular film on Twitter was The Cove, a film I greatly admire. The Cove calls for an end to the mindless slaughter of dolphins, which of course I 100% agree with. But it also suggests dolphins shouldn’…

Who says banking is boring?

Who says banking is boring? Judging by the responses to our question of should a bank be called a bank there is plenty of passion out there on the subject.One thing's for sure, there is a pretty unanimous dislike of calling the company Virgin Bank. Good to know!The top suggestion so far has been Virgin Money, with Virgin Rocks second. Plus honourable mentions to Virgin Vault, The Virgin Pound and Virgin Safe - and  a dishonourable mention to Northern Virgin!Thanks for all of your feedback, …

Customer service needs? Meet Victoria Angel

We love feedback at Virgin - all feedback! We know we don’t always get things right, and if we do have a less than brilliant moment, we want you to tell us. It’s great to hear when we get things right too (everyone loves a compliment) - so, whatever it is, we’re always happy for you to get in touch. However, I don’t always get chance to deal personally with customer service issues sent to me on Twitter, Facebook and Google+. We want to make sure that your commen…

Name checked by Dappy

Flattered to have been name checked by a few people over the years, but never before by Dappy!

Let Us In

I support the Let Us In Campaign, run by The Women and Cancer Fund, and it has been an honour to be associated with them.We look forward to a bright future and exploring all of the opportunities in working with their creative team and their endeavours to fight and defeat this dreaded disease.As a passionate music lover, I salute Sir Paul McCartney, the Let Us In Campaign and the commemoration of Linda McCartney's legacy.…

On Syria

Why are the innocent civilians in Syria who are being slaughtered every day any less important than the innocent civilians who were being slaughtered every day in Libya by Gaddhafi? Why is the international community abdicating its responsibility? Since the latest occupation of Tahrir Square in Egypt the systematic killings by the Government of Syria have increased dramatically due to the press concentrating on Egypt. It is the international community’s responsibility to protect civilians…

Pitch perfect

Over the years I’ve had people use all kinds of methods in order to pitch various ideas and projects to me. One person even swam two miles to Necker Island.Recently I received a letter from the Will & Probate Company Ltd from their Senior Consultant Cheryl Penry, letting me know that I’d been named as a beneficiary in a will and that she’d be happy to come and see me for 45-60 minutes. On ringing her she told me that I would be the beneficiary of 40% of a company we’d set…

Films that make a difference

Most people love a trip out to the cinema, or a night in watching a good DVD. But there are some films that stay with you, change your way of thinking and really make a difference. One such film for me is Sharkwater. I was asked on Twitter recently if I had seen Rob Stewart’s incredible film – yes I have, and it had a profound influence on me. Sharkwater explores the misunderstood world of sharks, and while beautiful and thrilling, also exposes corruption and exploitation surro…

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