SIR BOBBY ROBSON – A CELEBRATION

A star-studded celebration and charity fund-raising event featuring Mark Knopfler, Joe McElderry, Roy Hodgson, Northern Sinfonia, The Unthanks, Paul Whitehouse, Simon Day and many more will be held on 18th February next year – on what would have been Sir Bobby Robson’s 80th birthday.

Sir Bobby Robson – A Celebration will raise money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Alan Shearer Foundation and will feature Sir Bobby’s ‘Desert Island Discs’ performed by some of the country’s finest artists at the Sage Gateshead.

It will also feature Sir Bobby’s final interviews, which were originally filmed for use at this event when it was first planned, with his involvement, in 2009.

Sir Bobby was passionate about live music and enthusiastic at the prospect of a charity evening which would unite greats from football, music and comedy on the banks of the Tyne.

Sadly, because of his failing health, that original event was postponed and now the team behind it, with the help and input of both Lady Elsie and Alan Shearer, are pleased to fulfil Sir Bobby’s ambition by creating what is sure to be a spectacular and emotional evening.

Hosted by Sir Bobby’s friend Jim Rosenthal and, with many more big name acts to be announced, the star-studded gala night will celebrate the life of an extraordinary man.

Alan Shearer, founder of his own charity The Alan Shearer Foundation and a very active Patron of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, is giving his full backing to Sir Bobby Robson – A Celebration but unfortunately can’t attend the event itself due to a prior engagement.

Alan says: “I’m disappointed I can’t be there on the night but I’m honoured to be part of things.  Everyone could make the date except myself so we weren’t going to change the date just for me.

“Whenever you mention Sir Bobby’s name either here in the north east or around the country people are only too happy to help and that’s what’s happened here.

“It’ll be a great event and really it was Sir Bobby’s brainchild.  He started this off but unfortunately wasn’t well enough to see it through.  So from that point of view we’re all determined to put on a great evening which I’m sure people will really enjoy.”

One of the first names on the Sir Bobby Robson – A Celebration ‘team sheet’ was The X Factor and Popstar To Operastar winner Joe McElderry. 

Joe, from South Shields, recently entered the top 10 of the album charts and garnered success with his fourth album 'Here's What I Believe'. McElderry is an Ambassador for the Teenage Cancer Trust and was quick to agree to support the event.

Today (11th October) he provided appreciative onlookers with a taste of what the gala night has in store by giving a powerful rendition of Nessun Dorma from the Sage’s second floor balcony.

Joe says: “I’m thrilled and very proud to be supporting Sir Bobby Robson – A Celebration. 

“It says everything about Sir Bobby, and what his name stands for, that this event has attracted so many high profile names from music, football and comedy already.  And they tell me there are even more names still to come.

“It’s raising money for two wonderful charities and I know it’s going to be a very memorable night.  I can’t wait to be honest, it will be a very special evening and I’m looking forward to performing alongside some real music and comedy legends.”

Lindisfarne’s Ray Laidlaw, from Tynemouth, is one of the producers of the celebration night and was involved in filming Sir Bobby’s final interviews.

Ray says: “It was a great privilege to be involved planning this event with Sir Bobby back in 2009.  He was so keen to make it happen and now, thanks to wonderful support from Alan and Lady Elsie, that vision is going to become a reality at last.

“We used some of Sir Bobby’s final interviews in the dvd A Knight to Remember which has already raised over £100,000 for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation but there will be footage on the night which has never been seen before.

“Even though he was so ill at the time we made the interviews Sir Bobby was so positive and committed to making them happen.  He was just a joy to film.  He came up with so many fantastic stories and his great enthusiasm for music shines through.

“I’m thrilled to be part of the team that’s finally going to make the show happen.  It will be an incredibly special night and will raise a lot of money for two wonderful charities.”

Tickets for Sir Bobby Robson - A Celebration are priced at £45, £60 and £75 and on sale from 12th October.  To buy tickets, or for more information, please call 0191 443 4661 or visit www.thesagegateshead.org.

FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT TAKES THE PLUNGE

Daily Telegraph football correspondent Henry Winter swam across the Tyne today (Sunday 9th October) to honour a bet and raise funds for cancer charity the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

In 2010, such was the uncertainty surrounding Newcastle United that Henry promised to swim the river if the club committed long-term to Alan Pardew.  After Alan Pardew signed an eight year contract, Henry immediately agreed to fulfil his wager and take the plunge.

In glorious sunshine, he swam from Newcastle City Marina to the pontoon at Royal Naval Reserve training unit HMS Calliope on the Gateshead bank.  As he emerged from the cold river he was greeted with a Newcastle United towel courtesy of the club.

Henry undertook his swim in the shadow of the Tyne Bridge and under the bemused gaze of hundreds of shoppers at Newcastle’s popular Quayside Market.

Henry says: “I’m fresh and frozen, it was cold.  The first two thirds were a doddle and I thought this is ok, a nice gentle paddle across the Tyne.  But then suddenly the current hit and it was like the fast lane of the motorway.

“I could actually feel myself being dragged along and I was fortunate to have an experienced swimmer alongside me in Tony Greener.  In fact, at one point I think I grabbed Tony’s toe.

“It’s really been fun.  The reaction to my daft bet and this swim shows what a football mad city this is.

“Everyone has rallied round to help and that’s a sign of the depth of feeling for Sir Bobby and the great work funded through the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

“I have my own fond memories of Sir Bobby.  He was simply one of the greatest managers this country has produced and great man.

“And I thought it was a class act of Alan Pardew to send me a congratulatory note and a club towel.  He was obviously confident I’d make it because he sent it to the Gateshead side of the river.”

Henry was ably supported by experienced swimmer Tony Greener from North Shields, organiser of the annual Tyne 10 Mile River Swim and, after his chilly dip, headed off to more familiar surroundings to cover Newcastle United v Manchester United.

Newcastle United manager, Alan Pardew, was quick to offer Henry his best wishes saying: "Henry, you're a man of your word and I like that - congratulations!  I can't imagine how cold it was in the Tyne today, but rest assured we'll give you a warm welcome when you arrive at the stadium later.

“What's more, well done for raising money to support the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. It's a superb charity that's close to all our hearts here at Newcastle United and across the North East, so a big thank you for that."

The Tyne is a dangerous tidal river and Henry’s swim was made only possible thanks to wonderful support from the Royal Naval Reserve training unit HMS Calliope, NE1 Ltd and Port of Tyne.

Warships HMS Example and HMS Archer are currently berthed at HMS Calliope and kindly made way for both Henry and the 'Sir Bobby Robson’ – Port of Tyne’s new dredger.  The Sir Bobby Robson was launched by Lady Elsie in the traditional manner earlier this year and the boat tracked Henry’s progress across the river.

Andrew Moffat, Chief Executive Officer for the Port of Tyne, says: “This unusual event is for a very good cause and we were happy to assist with appropriate safety cover to ensure it all went well. 

“We would never encourage people to swim in the river without permission and supervision on hand, which of course the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has ensured is in place.

“The Port of Tyne is very proud to support the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation so when we were asked to help make this swim happen today in aid of the Foundation we were delighted to assist.”

Adrian Waddell, NE1 Ltd Director of Operations, adds: “‘We’re delighted that Newcastle City Marina has been able to help with Henry’s Tyne swimming debut and wish him and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation the very best of luck.”

To donate and support Henry, please visit www.justgiving.com/TyneSwim.

TYNE FOR FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT TO HONOUR A BET...

When Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew was awarded an eight year contract last week it landed one football correspondent in hot water - or rather, very cold water... 

In 2012, such was the uncertainty surrounding the club, The Daily Telegraph’s Henry Winter promised to swim the Tyne if the club committed long-term to Alan Pardew.  Not one to back out of a bet, this Sunday (7th October) Henry will be swimming across the river in the shadow of the Tyne Bridge and is taking the opportunity to raise funds for cancer charity, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in the process.

With support from experienced swimmer and organiser of the annual Tyne 10 Mile River Swim, Tony Greener, Henry will take the plunge from Newcastle City Marina and swim across and down river to the pontoon at Royal Naval Reserve training unit HMS Calliope on the Gateshead bank.

In addition to Tony Greener from North Shields, who will be swimming alongside Henry, the swim has been made possible thanks to fantastic support from Port of Tyne, Northumbrian Water, NE1 and HMS Calliope.

Port of Tyne recently made a generous donation to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and named its new dredger ‘Sir Bobby Robson.’  The vessel was launched by Lady Elsie in the traditional manner and, fittingly, ‘Sir Bobby’ will be on hand as Henry undertakes his chilly crossing ahead of Newcastle United’s home game against Manchester United.

Henry says: “I honour my bets. I promised to swim the Tyne if Ashley showed long-term loyalty to Pardew.

“He has, fair play, so time for dip in Tyne...”

To donate and support Henry, please visit www.justgiving.com/TyneSwim.

Sir Bobby and Lady Elsie launched the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in 2008 and it has gone on to raise over £4 million to help find more effective treatments for cancer.

It funds projects within the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that directly benefit cancer patients from across the north east and Cumbria, and which contribute significantly to research into the disease.

Liz Luff from the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation says: “We’re very grateful that Henry has chosen to help fight cancer and support the charity with his swim. 

“The Tyne is a dangerous tidal river and Henry’s receiving expert support to ensure his safety.  The way people have pitched in to help is very touching and we love the idea that ‘Sir Bobby’ will be on hand as Henry makes his way across the river.

“There are much easier ways to cross the Tyne and I’m sure the shoppers at Newcastle’s Quayside Market will be fascinated by his swim on Sunday morning.

“Henry deserves great credit for honouring his bet and we wish him the very best of luck with his challenge.”

TOM'S BLOG: GREAT NORTH RUN 2012

So, yes it’s true, at various points during the course I did get overtaken by a Dalek, a gingerbread man and a giant Tweety Pie. There are however a number of reasons for me to be happy with the Great North Run of 2012.  

First of all, I finished! And, may I add, in a time quicker than last year. Today, I can just about walk and who knows tomorrow I might be able to tie my own shoelaces. And my son and I have managed to put a little money into the pot from our fundraising and running efforts.

There are though many, many more reasons to be cheerful. Like for example the hundred plus runners who donned Sir Bobby Robson Foundation vests to compete in this year’s race in aid of the charity. With thousands of pounds going towards the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation’s aims and objectives it really was a day to remember. Everyone at the Foundation would like to thank you very much for your efforts – both on the day and via your fundraising. Your blood, sweat and tears ensure that the Foundation’s vital work continues.

Worthy of special mention is 'Tony the fridge' who ran the Great North Run course not once but THIRTY consecutive times with a six stone fridge on his back, culminating in Sunday’s run where he finished in good time, brought the Foundation to the attention of millions watching the race on television and had over £500 pounds in donations deposited in the fridge in just a few hours. Having fundraised every step of the way for the last month, Tony has now raised in excess of £10,000 for the Foundation, which is a superb effort.

Everyone at the Foundation would like to congratulate Tony on his extraordinary achievement and thank him for his amazing fundraising. We hope Tony is now taking a well-earned rest!

Thanks too should also go to all the volunteers who made the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation’s stand in the charity tent such a welcoming place for the runners after the race. The hot tea and chocolate bars were greatly appreciated. The atmosphere as always was superb and the opportunity to meet other Foundation fundraisers only added to the day.

And so to next year. Do you fancy taking on the challenge of the Great North Run in the colours of the Foundation? Yes? Why not run with me. Dalek overtaking guaranteed!

RUN GEORDIE RUN FOR SIR BOBBY!

Ultra runner and charity fund-raiser Run Geordie Run, otherwise known as Mark Allison from Newcastle, has chosen to raise funds for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation by running across Australia next year.

His challenge, which will also raise funds for The Children’s Foundation, will begin in Perth on 16th October and end in Sydney, on Christmas Eve, some 70 days later.  The 2,600 miles covers some incredibly harsh running conditions and will test Mark to the limit.

Lady Elsie says: “We’re very pleased Mark has chosen to raise funds in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation with his run across Australia.

“Mark’s raised a huge amount of money for charity over the years and has already supported our Foundation.  He was kind enough to give a motivational speech to our Great North Runners last year and is helping Robbie Elliott with his Bike For Bobby challenge.

“He’s set himself a very great challenge with this run but we have every faith in his abilities and know how committed he is.  Unfortunately he’s someone who knows the pain of losing loved ones to cancer and we know how determined he is to succeed.

“We look forward to getting more involved and finding out more about Australia as the months go on.”

You can follow Mark’s progress via his blog www.rungeordierun.com or via twitter @rungeordierun.

A VERY COOL FUND-RAISER GETS A WARM RECEPTION IN SOUTH SHIELDS

Tony ‘The Fridge’ Phoenix-Morrison from Hebburn, will complete his challenge of running 30 consecutive half marathons carrying a fridge tomorrow (Sunday 16 September) at the Great North Run.

He is raising money for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and family, friends and supporters came together today to give him a rousing send off as he crossed the finish line for the 29th time.

The Geordie Chapter of the Harley Davidson Club and Tony’s under 14s football team also joined Tony for the last mile of the run – creating a great spectacle in the sunshine along the font at South Shields.

The team making arrangements for tomorrow’s event have supported Tony every day and opened the famous Great North Run finish line especially for him and cheered him across.

Tony says: “I feel really honoured by all the wonderful support today and every day.  Everybody coming together like this and celebrating what we’ve achieved is just fantastic.

“The success of the fund-raising really is testament to how much Sir Bobby was loved and, sadly, because so many people are affected by cancer.  I’ve heard all kinds of really touching stories from people as I’ve been running and I’ve been in tears some days.

“It’s been an honour to carry out this challenge.  I worked really hard to prepare for is and I’ve got stronger as it’s gone on. 

“I’ve got the run itself tomorrow but it’ll probably be the Great North Walk because I’ll be stopping to say hello to people on the way.  I’m just going to take my time and enjoy it.

“I am a little bit broken but I won’t take long to repair.  I stopped drinking for this challenge and I’ve never wanted a pint of lager more in my life.”

Tony has been supported every day by his wife Janita who drove him to the start line, mets him half way with hot tea, energy snacks and a change of clothes and then collected him at the finish line in South Shields.

In addition, Tony’s colleague Matt Norcliffe from Pelaw cycled behind him each day to provide support en route.

While Tony’s last fridge run will be the Great North Run, he is also planning to run the route the following day without the white goods “just for fun and dressed like the legend that is Brendan Foster.”

You can also follow Tony’s progress via Twitter @tony_the_fridge.  To support him and donate to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation please visit www.justgiving.com/tonythefridge.

FIRST-IN-EUROPE CANCER EQUIPMENT OFFICIALLY OPENED BY LADY ELSIE

Today (Wednesday 12th September) Lady Elsie Robson officially opened the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation PET Tracer Production Unit at Newcastle University.

The cutting-edge facility will make a significant difference to people fighting cancer in the north east and Cumbria as well as international efforts to find more effective treatments for the disease.

The unit, and the new equipment it houses, an Advanced Biomarker Technology ultra-compact cyclotron, was jointly funded by the University and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and is the first of its type in Europe and only the second in the world. 

It will help with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other serious diseases and its purchase was only possible thanks to a contribution of £625,000, the largest to date, from the cancer charity Sir Bobby and Lady Elsie launched in 2008.

Lady Elsie says: “I’m so pleased to see this new unit open and we’re all very proud that the University chose to name it after the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

“We’ve been discussing this new equipment for such a long time and because it’s so special it’s taken a great deal of effort to purchase and install it.

“To see all those discussions finally become a reality is just wonderful.  I’m very grateful to the Foundation’s medical trustees and Newcastle University for their hard work in making this possible.

“I’d particularly like to thank the many thousands of people who support the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation through fund-raising events and by giving donations large and small.  Their great kindness and generosity is the only reason we have been able to buy the Biomarker Generator. 

“It’s truly humbling to think how much time and effort has gone into raising the £625,000 needed for this new equipment and I hope that everyone who has supported the charity in any way shares my feelings of pride and achievement today.”

The Biomarker Generator works by creating radioactive tracers which are given to patients who subsequently undergo scans to provide information on cancer and other diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The information collected helps doctors to understand the location of the disease in each patient, how serious it is, and the underlying processes and pathways that are causing the illness.

Professor Herbie Newell, Professor of Cancer Therapeutics at Newcastle University, explains: “Today’s official opening of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation PET Tracer Production Unit is a very significant occasion for cancer research and cancer patients.

“Thanks to the funding received through the charity, we are now able to use a whole new screening technology to help us find out where cancers are in patients, how many there are and what they are.

“In CT and X-rays, the radiation comes from outside the patient, passing through the patient, and we take pictures of what comes out the other side.

“But in PET scanning, and what we’ll be able to do now with this new unit, we make the radioactivity and attach it to something called a tracer, which is injected into the patient so the radiation comes from the inside out.

“The first tracer we’re making will be one where we’ll attach the radioactivity to a sugar, which is taken up into the cancer because, like any other cells, cancer cells need energy to grow.  By taking an image of the patient after we’ve given them the tracer we’ll be able to pinpoint exactly where the cancers are.

“PET scanning will be particularly beneficial for patients on clinical trials of new drugs and we’ll be working closely with the team at the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care.  We’ll be able to establish much quicker than currently possible whether new drug treatments are working, and whether they are working in the way intended.  It’s going to make a big difference.

“This new generation of biomarker generators is cutting edge and we’re extremely grateful to everyone who has helped make its purchase possible by supporting the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.”

The Biomarker Generator is being tested to ensure it meets international clinical standards and will begin to be used for patients within the year.

Lady Elsie adds: “When my husband and I began the Foundation we had high hopes for what could be achieved and I know Bob would be absolutely thrilled to see this new high tech unit. 

“This is what he wanted for his charity, to make a real difference for other people unlucky enough to find they have cancer.  It is a truly awful disease but today I feel the scientists, doctors and everyone who has helped the Foundation, have together made a very positive step forward in the fight against cancer.”