The Hex Factor
1 in 5 feel colleagues have put curse on us
GET a bloomin’ move on – it’s the “Help” Preservation Society ready for another Italian fundraising Job.
For 29 years, a mum and son have been recreating one of cinema’s most famous scenes to aid charities.
Giulia and Freddie St George have raised £2.6million by getting an annual rally of Mini Cooper enthusiasts together and driving through Italy’s cities.
But unlike the robbers led by Michael Caine in the 1969 hit comic movie, the only loot in their sights is for causes like the NSPCC, Childline and Italian children’s hospitals.
Next month they make their 5,000 mile round trip for Buttle UK which helps children in poverty.
Money raised will buy beds for 400,000 youngsters forced to sleep on floors or share with parents.
ESCORT
One city the Minis will invade is Turin, brought to a standstill during the film getaway cars scenes.
But Italy loves this gang so much they get a police escort. Now 84, Naples-born Giulia, of Hove, East Sussex, has taken part in every drive.
She says: “I will do it until I die.” Freddie, 49, adds: “People applaud us as we drive around. It’s emotional.”
Next year they hope to get charity patron Michael on the rally to mark the film’s 50th birthday year and 60 years of the Mini Cooper. ■■More info at italianjob. com. Back Buttle UK’s Chances for Children at buttleuk.org SPOOK out! We’re surrounded by witches, vampires and demons, according to new research.
And they even masquerade as colleagues, with one in five of us thinking ghouls put curses on us at work.
A study of our belief in the supernatural has found two thirds of us believe in magic, while up to 29 per cent think that vampires are real.
And 45 per cent said it’s highly likely the bloodsuckers are secretly living among us along with witches and demons.
Research commissioned by Sky One to launch new drama, A Discovery of Witches, found nearly half of us are convinced we’ve met someone with magical powers. Its poll found 20 per cent of workers thought a colleague had put a spell on them – while 13 per cent quizzed admitted they had tried to “curse” an office rival. But it’s not all bad PR for vampires – around 37 per cent said they were a turn-on too because they always look ageless, while 33 per cent believed it was their super human strength and speed that made them so alluring.
The poll of 1,500 also revealed 44 per cent of us avidly read and believe our horoscopes.
VAMPIRES
Deborah Harkness, author of A Discovery of Witches, said: “This research gives fascinating insight into Britain’s beliefs in the supernatural.
“It would appear many of us are not just open-minded about the existence of witches and vampires - but intrigued and attracted to them.”