Welsh offers chance to join Trainspotting gang

Published on Saturday 17 January 2009 18:32

CHOOSE life. Choose being immortalised in the prequel to the most famous Scottish book of modern times.

Irvine Welsh is offering the chance to appear in his latest work alongside the iconic characters made famous in his best selling Trainspotting.

The Leith author is revisiting the early years of Renton, Sick Boy, Spud and the psychotic Begbie and has agreed to write a part in the prequel for the highest bidder.

Welsh, who recently turned 50, is offering the unique prize in a bid to raise money for impoverished orphans.

The man behind the harrowing tale of a heroin-ravaged group of friends in Edinburgh agreed to offer a walk-on part in his latest novel after being approached by the charity Scottish Love in India (SLA).

The writer said his own trips to the sub-continent meant that he was more than happy to help.

"I've been a frequent visitor to India and have visited several projects in Calcutta on behalf of Unicef," he said.

"Poverty is obviously a huge issue, but lack of opportunities go beyond essentials like food, shelter and employment.

"With access to a cultural life, people's experiences are enriched beyond measure.

"I feel proud that people from my homeland are involved in this exciting and worthwhile project, and I'm happy to assist in any way I can."

A spokesman for Scottish Love in India said the offer opened up a host of intriguing possibilities.

He said: "By entering a seedy world rife with low-life chancers, bidders will presumably have to take the risk that they might not get sympathetic treatment, particularly if they happen to support Hearts, city rivals of the author's beloved Hibs.

"Could a male winner be cast as Begbie's father and be blamed for how the son turned out?

"Or would Welsh cast a successful female bidder as Sick Boy's first sexual conquest?

Welsh returned to his most famous project in 2002 when he penned the Trainspotting sequel Porno.

Now his latest work will explore the backgrounds of the characters, who were famously brought to life by Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller, Ewen Bremner and Robert Carlyle, in the 1996 film by Danny Boyle.

SLA helps to feed, clothe and educate hundreds of abandoned orphans who are regarded as "untouchables" in India's caste system.

The charity runs a home for 450 children in Tuni as well as a smaller residential care centre for 60 youngsters in Hyderabad.

The auction for the part in Welsh's latest tome will be one of the highlights of a fundraising night which will take place at Edinburgh's Assembly Rooms on May 7.

The lavish event will be hosted by Scotland's "curry king" Charan Gill.

The organisation, which was formed nine years ago, has set an ambitious target of raising 280,000 over the next year to renovate its existing buildings and create additional facilities.

Last year Welsh, who divides his time between Edinburgh, Dublin and the US, became a celebrity supporter of a writing competition organised by the Scottish Book Trust.

He encouraged entrants to write about "A Special Day" and his own entry, which contained none of his trademark swearing, was an account of the day his beloved Hibs won the League Cup.

For tickets and more information contact Scottish Love in Action on 0131-558 7395 or visit www.sla-india.org