19/10/2006

Said TV presenter Judith Chalmers OBE as she paid special tribute this month to fellow Lady Taverner, Mrs Barbara Thompson of Pleasure Beach, Blackpool, for her extensive charity work.

The Lady Taverners aim is to give children, particularly those with special needs, a sporting chance. Wish You Were Here presenter Judith, a former President of Lady Taverners, hosted a special luncheon in Mrs Thompson’s honour at Lancashire Cricket Club on October 13^th. 

Gatley–born Judith said: “I have always wanted to come home and do such a lunch. Barbara has been such a fantastic member of The Lady Taverners as both worker and committee member. She really deserves this recognition, as do her family and all the employees of Pleasure Beach, Blackpool.”

This is the first time Judith has hosted such a lunch outside London. She agreed to do so due to Barbara Thompson and her late husband’s (former Pleasure Beach, Blackpool MD Geoffrey Thompson OBE) support of The Lady Taverners at Britain’s favourite, free tourist attraction, which includes an annual fun day at the park with free ride wristbands, lunch and show seats for all the children. 

Mrs Thompson now joins a select group of superstars who have enjoyed tribute lunches from the charity group including Joan Collins, Dame Judi Dench, Michael Palin and Chris Tarrant. Legendary comedian Ronnie Corbett is also to be honoured in November. 

Other guests paying special tribute to Mrs Thompson on the day were Pleasure Beach’s very own Master Of Illusion Richard De Vere, rugby hero Billy Beaumont, Blackpool football hero Jimmy Armfield and Euro MP Sir Robert Atkins.

Organiser of the event and Northwest Chairman, Mrs Chris Talbot, said: “This is the most exciting function Lady Taverners have put on in the region and it has been a huge success raising over £10.000 for the charity. And as we are a cricket charity where better to hold the event than at Lancashire Cricket Club!

 §          The Lady Taverners is a fundraising arm of The Lord’s Taverners - a celebrity/sporting club and charity, whose objective is to ‘give young people, particularly those with special needs, a sporting chance’ by:

-          Providing incentives to play cricket in schools and clubs;

-          Enabling young people with special needs to participate in sporting activities;Supplying minibuses to special needs' organisations; Creating recreational facilities in conjunction with the National Playing Fields' Association.  

PRESS INFORMATION

For further press information please call the Press Office on 01253 341033 exts 1282/1283/1629
Fax: 01253 343958

Email: sarah.jane.wright@bpbltd.com