I have been persuaded to offer some of my time, in the form of an Excel modelling masterclass, in a charity auction at the Mad Hatter’s May Ball. It has also been suggested that I offer the same to members of the paying public. So here goes...

The offer is a half-day of my time running a highly interactive workshop for up to five participants. We can cover any topic you like, but I am expecting to focus on advanced aspects of Microsoft Excel, financial and risk modelling, data analysis and decision analysis. One suggestion for an agenda is as follows.

• Review of homework. If the masterclass participants are able to work beforehand on a case study, build a model and prepare a short presentation of their insights, they are likely to get a lot more out of the workshop.
• Range names, the best underused feature of Excel. Use them to improve the quality of your programming, create automatic documentation for your model and eliminate bugs.
• How to model time dynamics (eg, in a cash flow forecast) with a handful of input parameters. Reduce complexity to a small set of input variables for which you can generate sensible forecasts.
• Modelling idioms, a collection of idiomatic approaches to common programming situations.
• How to model uncertainty and choice. Use sensitivity analysis to understand what really drives value and risk in your business.
• Monte Carlo simulation. Generate a full risk–reward profile of your different strategy choices.
• Communicating about risk to get commitment to action.

Alternatively, we can spend the time working together on a data analysis or decision problem important to the workshop participants. Call me and let’s discuss what you need.

Price: from £990. This assumes that you arrange the venue, somewhere in London. I am happy to travel further, if someone else pays the fare.

You might be able to pay less by attending the Mad Hatter’s May Ball. Or you may want to bid more and support two excellent causes: The Weir Link, an organisation working for and with the community of Clapham Park, London, and FROST (the Friends of St Thomas, the parish where I am Treasurer) raising funds to turn St Thomas’ Church into a vibrant community asset.

20% of the proceeds from the first five paid masterclasses I run (and all of the charity auction proceeds) will go to these good causes.