EAST COAST NAMES TRAIN ‘SIR BOBBY ROBSON’

East Coast today (Tuesday, 29 March 2011) named a Class 91 high-speed locomotive ‘Sir Bobby Robson’ in memory of the former England and ‘Toon’ football legend.

Sir Bobby’s widow, Lady Elsie Robson and former England and Newcastle United captain, Alan Shearer OBE, patron of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation charity, performed the train-naming along with Elaine Holt, Chairman of East Coast at Newcastle Central Station this morning.

The ‘Sir Bobby Robson’ Class 91 electric locomotive (number 91109) features specially-commissioned, cast-iron nameplates.

Speaking at the event, Elaine Holt, Chairman of East Coast said: “We are honoured to name the first of our prestigious locomotives ‘Sir Bobby Robson’ in memory of such a legendary and much-respected sporting figure.

“Sir Bobby was a regular train traveller between the North East and London, during his management career and beyond, as he worked tirelessly to raise funds and awareness for his Sir Bobby Robson Foundation charity. He was loved by many of our staff, particularly those at Durham and Newcastle stations who remember him with great affection.

“As it speeds through the North East on the East Coast route, this specially-named train will help to keep the memory of Sir Bobby Robson in people’s minds and we hope will raise further awareness of his enduring legacy and the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation for many years to come.”

East Coast is pledging its support for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, the cancer charity set up by Sir Bobby in 2008.

Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer, a patron of the Foundation, spoke of his pride as the gleaming locomotive, bearing the name of the man still revered as a legend on Tyneside shone in the morning light at the city’s Central Station.

Alan said: “It is an absolute honour and pleasure to officially name a high-speed East Coast train ‘Sir Bobby Robson’. I’m sure that Sir Bobby would be very proud to see his name and legacy continued in this very fitting and special way.

“It is also fantastic news that East Coast have decided to support the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation as one of their chosen charities.”

Alan added: “I am a regular traveller to London on East Coast trains and I’m looking forward to the day when the locomotive on front of the train I’m on is the ‘Sir Bobby Robson’ locomotive...I think he would find it very amusing pulling Alan Shearer all the way to London at 125 miles per hour!”

Thanks to fantastic ongoing support, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has now raised well over £2.5 million to help find more effective treatments for cancer.

In addition to equipping and partially staffing the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle it has purchased an ultra-compact cyclotron which will help with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

The cyclotron costs in excess of £500,000 and is only the second of its type in the world and the first in Europe.

Lady Elsie said: “I think my husband would be surprised and thrilled to have this train named after him.

“He travelled frequently by train so I feel this is very appropriate and my family and I appreciate the gesture.

“We’re also very grateful for the fund-raising efforts East Coast are undertaking in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and we will ensure the money is put to the very best use fighting cancer.”

East Coast provides high speed, long distance rail services linking the North East to Scotland, Yorkshire, the East Midlands and London. It also manages 12 stations along the route including Newcastle, Durham and Darlington.

The North East will benefit from an exciting new timetable from 22 May, including a prestige ‘Flying Scotsman’ non-stop express from Newcastle to London, completing the journey in just two hours and 37 minutes.

From the same date, an additional three weekday and 11 weekend services will be introduced between Newcastle and London, whilst passengers will see the introduction of a new, improved on-board service, including complimentary meals and drinks served in First Class.

CRAMLINGTON JUNIORS BACKING THE SIR BOBBY ROBSON FOUNDATION

Alan Shearer OBE recently took a trip down memory lane when he met up with fund-raisers for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation from Cramlington Juniors Football Club.

Alan, a patron of Sir Bobby’s cancer charity, is a former Cramlington player and met team manager Andrew Skelton and club secretary Norman Walmsely to receive a cheque for £1,200 raised through a charity football match.

As well as receiving the cheque and finding out how the money was raised, Alan took the opportunity to catch up on Cramlington’s current form.

Alan says: “I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Cramlington. I learned a lot playing junior football and it gave me a good grounding which served me well in my career.

“We’re lucky to have such a strong network of junior football clubs in the north east and they are essential to the future of the game.

“It was a pleasure to hear how well the club is getting on and to officially receive this cheque for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. We’re grateful for their efforts and the money will be very well used helping people fighting cancer in our region.”

Thanks to fantastic ongoing support, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has now raised over £2.5 million to help find more effective treatments for cancer.

In addition to equipping the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle, the charity has funded a specialist research nurse and doctor and contributed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary’s teenage cancer unit.

It recently announced that it is working with Newcastle University and has purchased an ultra-compact cyclotron which will help with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. The cyclotron costs in excess of £500,000 and is only the second of its type in the world and the first in Europe.

Andrew Skelton, who organised the Cramlington Juniors charity match along with Paul Scott and Norman Walmsley, says: “We wanted to do our bit to help Sir Bobby’s charity and decided to invite some of our old boys to come back together again to play in a game against the current coaches and managers.

“It was a great occasion and a pleasure to see so many former players and supporters turning out to support this great cause.

“One of our most successful players is Andy Sinton who went on to play for Spurs and England. Andy’s dad Ken helped many players in the early years of Cramlington Juniors and sadly died last year so this game was a tribute to him.

“Andy played in the game as did former Blackpool striker Richie Bond and ex Blackburn striker Graham Fenton. He also kindly presented us with one of his England shirts to go up in our clubhouse.

“The score finished Ex Cramlington Players 5 v 2 Current Managers so it wasn’t really as close as the coaching team would’ve liked!

“We’re very proud to have raised so much money through the game and it seemed very fitting that we could hand this cheque over to the most famous Cramlington Juniors player who is now doing such a fantastic job as a patron of Sir Bobby’s charity.”

LADY ELSIE MEETS THE FAMILY OF CHRISTOPHER SCOTT

Lady Elsie recently met the family of 33-year-old Christopher Scott from Wallsend who sadly died in December after a three year battle with cancer.

It was an opportunity for Lady Elsie to personally thank Christopher's mother Phyllis, sister Melanie and wife Donna for the money which was donated to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation in his memory.

The donations, which totalled more than £1,400, will help other people fighting cancer.

ICONIC FOOTBALL CREATED IN AID OF THE SIR BOBBY ROBSON FOUNDATION

Top footballers today enjoy lavish lifestyles which are beyond the dreams of even their most famous and talented counterparts from the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

And while the likes of Middlesbrough’s Matthew Bates essentially play the same game as legendary players like Wilf Mannion the equipment they use is very different.

One key element which has changed completely is the ball and now The Old Fashioned Football Shirt Company (TOFFS) has created a replica of the old style laced leather footballs to celebrate the life of Sir Bobby Robson and in aid of his cancer charity.

TOFFS company secretary Michele Finch, who runs the business with her husband Alan, says: “Sir Bobby is usually remembered these days as a hugely successful manager but he was a gifted player too. Not only did he play 627 games of club football, he also proudly represented his country on 20 occasions.

“The game then was very different and the players had to contend with heavy pitches, boots and kit. That was nothing compared to the weight of the ball itself though. In wet weather and after it became caked with mud they became extremely heavy and difficult to control.

“Famously the leather footballs were also very painful when the player headed a strong ball and made contact with the lace stitching which held the whole thing together so they were not an ideal design.”

The TOFFS old style leather football celebrates both the professional managerial and playing career of Sir Bobby. All of his teams and the number of appearances he made are represented on the ball with a gold printed roll of honour.

It tells the story of Sir Bobby’s football life through England, Fulham and West Bromwich Albion, and as a manager for Fulham, Ipswich Town, England, overseas to PSV Eindhoven, Sporting CP, Porto, Barcelona and back home to his roots with Newcastle United.

Michele adds: “When we decided to raise funds for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation we came up with a host of ideas. We wanted to recreate a piece of history to celebrate the life of such a legend and help to raise funds and awareness for his cancer charity.

“It had to be something special though and throughout our 20 year history producing thousands of shirts which cover the eras in which Sir Bobby played and managed, we had never produced a ball.

“The leather laced up ball is now iconic and takes us back to another and very different age of football. It showcases the incredible football career of a great man and everyone at TOFFS is proud that by creating this football we are also helping a wonderful charity.”

Pauline Buglass, head of fundraising for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, says: “Sir Bobby would no doubt be fascinated by this football. I’m sure it would have brought back a lot of memories for him.

“His football career was remarkable and it’s incredible to think he played in an era when these heavy balls were used and then went on to manage in the very different world of today’s Premier League.

“Hopefully it will sell extremely well in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. We’re very grateful for the ongoing support we’re receiving so we can continue Sir Bobby’s wish to tackle cancer through new and more effective treatments.”

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation football retails at £49.95 and 20 per cent of the proceeds of the sale will go to the charity. It is available only from www.toffs.com or by calling 0191 4913500.

Thanks to fantastic ongoing support, the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation has now raised over £2.5 million to fight cancer.

In addition to equipping the Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle, the charity has funded a specialist research nurse and doctor.

It recently announced that it is working with Newcastle University and has committed to buying a Biomarker Generator, an ultra-compact cyclotron which will help with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other serious diseases and costing in excess of £500,000.

The cyclotron works by creating radioactive tracers which are given to patients who subsequently undergo scan to provide information on cancer and other diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. The information collected from imaging radioactive tracers helps doctors to understand where the disease is in each patient, how serious the disease is, and the underlying processes and pathways that are sustaining the illness.

Sir Bobby’s family are committed to continuing the work of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation with the valued help of Patrons including Alan Shearer, Steve Gibson, Mick Mills and Niall Quinn.

OCEAN TO OCEAN CHARITY CYCLISTS

An ambitious group of north east cyclists are undertaking a sponsored coast to coast ride with a difference by cycling from Chile’s Pacific coast to the Atlantic Ocean in Argentina. The 1,000 mile challenge includes crossing the Andes mountain range and cycling around 100 miles a day.

The six riders are funding the trip themselves and raising money in aid of cancer charity the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. They are Duncan Dollimore (Whitley Bay), Jimmy Logue (Benton), John O’Neil (Chester le Street), Kevin Waugh (Low Fell), Gary Riley (Felling) and Andrew Morland (Low Fell).

Their 12-day ride is now underway and they have already hit a major snag when one of their bikes failed to arrive at Satiago Airport, one of their main concerns before setting off. As a result the group are now taking turns riding what they describe as ‘Chilean boneshaker of a bike’.

Organiser Kevin Waugh says: “We planned everything in great detail but there will always be unexpected issues to resolve.

“Just after New Year an earthquake hit central Chile and destroyed a railway bridge which we were supposed to be crossing on our train journey to our starting point in Constitucion. This means we’ll have to lug all six bikes and equipment on to the replacement bus service so I’m sure we’ll be popular with other travellers.

“We’ve all trained really hard but it has been difficult due to the weather and the snow has affected our preparation. We’re very determined though and raising money in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation is really motivating.

“Our generation has too few heroes but Sir Bobby gave us hope that great men still appear from time to time. It seems unlikely to us that we'll see another man like him which makes it easy to dedicate the biggest trip of our lives to his charity.”

Kevin and his co-riders were seen off on their epic journey by Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer OBE who is an enthusiastic patron of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation and no stranger to cycling himself.

In 2008 Alan and fellow television presenter Adrian Chiles cycled from Newcastle to London via West Bromwich in aid of the Sport Relief charity. They completed the 335 miles in just two days.

Alan says: “I really admire these guys and know from experience just how hard this will be for them.

“It is a real test of endurance and believe me the ride will take its toll on more than just their lungs and legs. Bike saddles are not the comfiest things to sit on for any great length of time as Adrian and I found out.

“They all sound very confident though which is good and they know they are doing all this for a great cause.

“It’s because of committed fund-raisers like these lads that we’re able to keep building on Sir Bobby’s legacy and continue to help local cancer patients.”

Lady Elsie, Sir Bobby’s widow, also sent the group a good luck message before they set off saying: "I would like to thank you and your families so much for all your efforts in training and organising your South American cycle ride.

“I hope you complete it safely and look forward to meeting up with you all upon your return."

The Ocean to Ocean Bike Ride begins at Constitucion, Chile, on January 9 and ends at Atlantic Beach in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 19. It takes in the Andes mountain range and one of the highest passes between Chile and Argentina. The group will cycle close to the crash site of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, which was the subject of film and book Alive.

More information, how to make a donation and regular updates from South America are available via the website www.aridetoremember.co.uk.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation was launched by Sir Bobby in March 2008 and has gone on to raise more than £2.5 million to fight cancer.

It operates within the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust to provide services not yet available within the NHS and directly benefits patients across the north east and Cumbria

The charity recently announced it is working with Newcastle University and is jointly committed to buying a Biomarker Generator, an ultra-compact cyclotron which will help with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. It is only the second of its type in the world and the first in Europe and costs more than £500,000.

SEASONAL GOOD WISHES AND THANKS!

Sir Bobby's family would like to thank fund-raisers for their hard work and support during 2010.

Everyone connected with the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation is looking forward to another successful year in 2011 raising funds to fight cancer.

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!

A KNIGHT TO REMEMBER IN SO MANY WAYS...

A dvd produced in aid of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation last year has already raised over £95,000 for the cancer charity and is selling well ahead of this Christmas.

Directed and produced by Geoff Wonfor and Ray Laidlaw, ‘A Knight to Remember’ contains exclusive footage of Sir Bobby’s final interviews and features contributions from high profile names from sport and entertainment including Gary Lineker, Sir Bobby Charlton, Ant and Dec, Des Lynam, Brendan Foster, Shay Given, Sir Alex Ferguson, Malcolm Macdonald, Jack Charlton, Bob Moncur, Steve Cram and Paul Gascoigne.

It also includes an introduction from Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer OBE who was on hand to receive the cheque for the money raised so far in his capacity as a patron of the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

Alan says: “I’m very impressed by the amount A Knight to Remember has already raised and hopefully the dvd will be in a few Christmas stockings this year too.

“It’s a fantastic tribute to a great man and something I was happy to help with. It’s very funny in parts and understandably emotional in others. Ray and Geoff have done a great job with it and the money raised will be well spent helping people in the north east and Cumbria fighting cancer.”

In addition to interviews and footage from Sir Bobby’s career and fund-raising efforts, ‘Auf Wiedersehen Pet’ stars Tim Healy, Kevin Whately and Jimmy Nail perform a very special version of the Blaydon Races especially for the dvd, while each of Sir Bobby’s three sons offers a very personal perspective of the man who was simply ‘Dad.’

Geoff says: “Conducting Sir Bobby's final TV interviews was a career highlight for us and we are thrilled that the DVD is raising significant funds for his foundation.”

A Knight to Remember is priced at £17 and is available from JG Windows, HMV shops, nufc.co.uk and all good DVD retailers.

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation was launched by Sir Bobby in March 2008 and has gone on to raise more than £2.5 million to fight cancer.

It operates within the Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust to provide services not yet available within the NHS and directly benefits patients across the north east and Cumbria

The charity recently announced it is working with Newcastle University and has jointly committed to buying a Biomarker Generator, an ultra-compact cyclotron which will help with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. It is only the second of its type in the world and the first in Europe and costs more than £500,000.