Dinner date from heaven, or hell?
Tuesday, April 3, 2007 
On the Forest website we play a little game. We list the people most often quoted by the media in the smoking debate and rate them according to whether we would want to invite them to dinner. Today we received the following email, written in response to our description of Ian Willmore, former spokesman for ASH (and before that Friends of the Earth) who now works for the London Fire Brigade:
When I read your comments I could scarcely believe that I was reading about the same man. Was this Ian Willmore, the [former] media coordinator at Friends of the Earth, who made a point of taking the voluntary press staff out for a decent lunch because they were giving their time to a charity who, frankly, did not much appreciate them; the man who played piano for the FOE staff dos purely to entertain; the guy who was quite prepared to be the subject of his own humour as well as making amusing comments about others; the person who was always larger than life and quite prepared to go his own way, despite the hostility of other more 'po-faced' individuals in the organisations that he joined?
I have been to lunch with him. He is an amusing companion who can talk on a wide variety of subjects, a consumate individualist in a world full of conventionalists and has a wonderful, light sense of humour that [sic] manages to laugh at others while still poking fun at himself. Ian Willmore is a man of great passion and he throws himself into those causes for which he works with a zeal few could match; so do all people who are effectively fighting for a cause, and there are few causes so worth fighting as one that damages not only the health of those who participate in it but also those who are unfortunate enough to stand near them. Yet it is to be noted that he does not stoop to personal attacks and character assassination, and that, in itself, makes him a far more likeable person than the wretch who wrote this article.
Ian, if you read this, I think you've just got yourself another date.
Reader Comments (3)
I'm confused. What is Porky's defendant really complaining about. The fact that he was referred to as Porky? I've seen his picture and can confirm he's fat. Apart from that the only other slight on his character is his penchance for telling other people how to live their lives - which I thought was a pre-requisite for joining ASH.
I have a question: Why do so many anti-smoking activists look so unhealthy? I understand why they tend to look miserable (trying to stop people from enjoying some of the pleasures in life must attract a certain type), but why unhealthy?
Would be interested in reading anyone’s theories about why people who make a living out of the ‘health industry’, appear to be so unhealthy themselves.
How come it's OK to have a go at people because of their weight? I would have thought libertarians would regard it as a fundamental freedom to live unhealthily. For example to smoke (as I do myself by the way). A little consistency here please.
I have known Ian Willmore for many years. He is, as your mystery poster said, funny, intelligent, entertaining, liberal, cultured, generous, well-read and an excellent companion.
He is also finding this string highly entertaining.