Today, as Vice Chairman of Harlow Council, I have an unusual engagement in my diary - painting a Picasso. The Picasso in question is a Citroen, at Motorsales at Burnt Mill, and the painting involves twelve pupils from Fawbert & Barnard School and a set of vibrant liquid chalk pens.

The Picasso is a 'Christmas car-d' from the company to its visitors, and our duty is to make it as Christmassy as possible. Between us, we manage to smother the car in drawings of snowmen, stars, trees, candles, angels, puddings, presents, holly and baubles. The children are rewarded with selection packs of chocolate, and the car-d will stay on display in the Motorsales showroom over the Christmas period.