Executive summary - click here to help

This one has nothing to do with pies. It's a plea for your help. For a friend who's in a bit of a state.

Last night, 20th December, a workshop in Suffolk caught fire. Everything in it was destroyed. There were tools and wood and beautiful finished pieces. And a man's soul.

That workshop was how my friend Andy Coates earned his living. He's a woodturner so good that he could work at it full time. And then last night everything that made that possible burnt.

There are lots more photos like this on Andy's Twitter feed

He is a very well liked man. An example. A year or so ago, when I started making kimchi and was using a ruling pin to press it he, without saying a thing, turned me a personalised kimchi press and posted it to me as a surprise. I'm not sure anyone else has anything else quite like it and it made me smile and laugh. It's such a thing of beauty it's always on show in my home kitchen - and it works.

So, because he's well liked and talented and had a really horrible thing happen, friends (and people who didn't know him at all) are rallying to help him rebuild. It would be perfectly lovely if you could too. - here's how.

Thank you so much and Merry Christmas. x