TRIBUTE TO “THE BEST PRESIDENT WE NEVER HAD”

The Lord’s Taverners will celebrate the life of “the best President we never had” - Sir Bobby Robson - on Friday 14 May at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London, with Sir Alex Ferguson and many of Sir Bobby's famous footballing friends paying tribute.

Sir Bobby loved cricket as well as football and was due to succeed Mike Gatting as President of The Lord’s Taverners in 2007. Sadly, ill health prevented him from doing so but he remained a big supporter. Now cricket’s favourite Charity is paying tribute to one of football’s favourite sons.

Hosted by Bob “The Cat” Bevan, the event is being hosted jointly in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and The Lord’s Taverners. Lady Elsie Robson and sons Andrew, Mark and Paul will be attending on the day.

Tickets cost £95 for members of The Lord's Taverners (£110 for Associates and Non Members) including pre-lunch drinks reception, three-course meal and half a bottle of wine per person. To book tickets please download the booking form or contact the Events Department on 020 7821 2828.

Glamorous Dinner Dance

Seaham Hall is hosting a dinner dance in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation on Friday 30th April.

The night of glitz and glamour will commence at 7pm with arrival drinks and canapés followed by a five course dinner in the Ballroom.

Seaham Hall's talented chefs have created a menu to delight the palate and the evening’s entertainment will be provided by the fabulous Taylor Moon Band with dancing until the small hours.

Tickets are priced at £50 per person with £10 from each ticket sold being donated to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and further fundraising on the evening.

To book please call Seaham Hall on 0191 516 1400 or email kelly.beetham@seaham-hall.co.uk

ON YOUR FEET SOLDIER!

Soldier Angela Kelly from Sacriston, County Durham, is organising a sponsored walk in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA) Forces Help.

On Saturday 27 March Warrant Officer Kelly and her dog, Alan Shearer, will be walking the three miles from Sacriston, the birthplace of Sir Bobby Robson, to Langley Park where the football legend grew up.

She is appealing for people to join her and as well as the walk, other activities on the day include Beat the Goalie, Guess the Name of the Toy Soldier, face painting, a brass band and an aerobics warm up.

Angela, who is based at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, says: “I’ve wanted to do this walk for some time because I really admire the hard work Sir Bobby put into his charity while he was so poorly himself.

“These are two charities which are very close to my heart because I love football and because of my role as a serving soldier.

“It won’t be anything like an army style march! This will be a fun day out for everyone who comes along and anyone like me who would like to bring their dogs is very welcome.”

The walk starts at 10.30am in Sacriston with registration from 9.45am. There is transport back to Sacriston after the walk where there will be a buffet and raffle and walkers will also receive a free goody bag.

Thanks to ongoing support, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has now raised over £2.2 million to fight cancer for the benefit of patients across the north east.

In addition to equipping the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre, the charity has funded a specialist research nurse and doctor and enhanced a children’s waiting area at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care.

It also recently contributed £30,000 to the new Teenage Cancer Unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle. The Foundation will be announcing a very significant investment into cancer research equipment early this year.

The charity operates within the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Trust and a wider cancer research network to provide services not currently funded by the NHS.

To make a donation, view messages of support, or for more information on the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, please visit www.sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.org.uk or donate by sending a cheque to Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, PO Box 307, Heaton NE7 7QG.

SSAFA Forces Help runs SSAFA Norton House, a 'home from home' for the families of injured servicemen and women who are being treated at Selly Oak Hospital. The charity also runs family support groups for those dealing with bereavement or life-changing injuries.

Anyone interested in taking part in the walk should contact WO Kelly on 0783 7021 914.

THE FIRST SIR BOBBY ROBSON ‘TRIBUTE SHIRTS’ ARRIVE IN AFRICA

Football shirts left in tribute to Sir Bobby Robson after his death in July last year are now being received by children in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Around 6,000 football shirts, scarves and flags were left by fans at Sir Bobby’s former clubs - Newcastle United, Ipswich Town, West Bromwich Albion and Fulham – in an incredible outpouring of affection and respect for the former England manager.

Many feature touching personal messages regarding Sir Bobby and they are now being distributed by a number of charities - KitAid, the RAF’s Taking Football to Africa and Beyond Appeal, Coaches Across Continents and CAFOD – to benefit disadvantaged people in Eastern Europe, Asia, South America and Africa.

The first shirts distributed overseas have been delivered to Gambia where they are being used by The Association For Child Education (TAFCE) - an education and vocational skills project set up by local people in Kerewan.

A delivery has also been made to a project run by Don Bosco Homes, which helps street children in Liberia.

Sir Bobby’s youngest son, Mark Robson, recently helped the charity KitAid box up hundreds of the shirts ready for distribution overseas. He plans to visit Kenya later this year to see the benefits the shirts are bringing at first hand.

Mark says: “It’s truly amazing to hear the stories about how much a simple piece of football kit means to these children.

“I’m very much looking forward to helping deliver some of these tribute items so I can see for myself the difference it is making.

“As a family we were taken aback by the response to dad’s death – it was all on such an incredible scale. Tens of thousands of pounds was donated to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in his memory and the scenes with all the football memorabilia at St James’ Park and in Ipswich were just incredible.

“We are very touched that so many people thought so highly of him. I’m sure my dad, above all people, would be very happy knowing these children are enjoying playing and following football because they have a football shirt of their own.”

Since its launch in 1998, KitAid has distributed 100,000 items of football kit to 35 different countries.

The charity’s founder, Derrick Williams, says: “We’re really pleased that the first shipment of Sir Bobby Robson shirts has arrived in Gambia and the reaction from the children who received them was superb.

“They love anything to do with football in the UK and they are now all following the English teams with even more interest.”

For further information regarding KitAid please visit www.veoliawater.co.uk/kitaid.