Barfly: Christmas chat via Santallite link

CHILDREN at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow don’t need to worry about Father Christmas finding them while they are away from home this festive season.

This week, with the help of Cisco’s futuristic teleconferencing system, TelePresence, Santa will be visiting hospitals across the UK and Ireland to speak to children personally about what they want for Christmas this year.

Poorly youngsters at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children at Yorkhill and their families can have a live conversation via Cisco’s high-definition video system with Santa in the North Pole on Wednesday 21 December.

The children will be able to share their Christmas wishes with him, while Mrs Claus and Santa’s elf help-ers will be on hand to give gifts in person to the children.

One less for office party

BARFLY hopes the compensation package agreed with former IndigoVision chief executive Oliver Vellacott will take account of any deposit he may have paid for the firm’s Christmas bash.

It has emerged that the announcement of his departure was made just hours before the Edinburgh technology company’s festive party got under way.