Ian Hislop is the latest celebrity to back the National Trust’s campaign to buy a stretch of the White Cliffs of Dover.
Mr Hislop, a star of Have I Got News For You who lives in Sissinghurst, has presented a BBC Radio 4 documentary about the story of the song (There’ll Be Bluebirds Over) The White Cliffs of Dover.
The appeal to raise £1.2 million buy the 1.35 stretch of cliff - which would complete the missing link of cliffs owned by the NT between Dover and St Margaret’s - has already attracted support from celebrities including designer Zandra Rhodes, comedian and presenter Paul O’Grady and Dover-born soul singer Joss Stone.
Mr Hislop said: “This is a terrific idea - I made a radio programme about the wartime song and I could not believe how much even the thought of the white cliffs meant to people as a symbol of the nation.
“It makes perfect sense for the National Trust to take on the cliffs. They probably won’t be able to get bluebirds flying over but I hope they open it up to everyone else.”
Meanwhile, the white cliffs will have their own writer-in-residence next week.
For eight days starting Monday (August 20) Julian Baggini, who has written several books about philosophy, will be blogging and filming his thoughts and observations. He will be talking to the people who live and work in the area about the cliffs. The blog will be running during the week at
www.whitecliffsofdoverwriter.wordpress.com.
Appeal donations can be made online at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/whitecliffsappeal.