 |
|
| This section of the Christie's website is no longer being updated. It remains online as a historical record of the astonishing success of The Christie Hospital's Centenary Appeal which raised £25m in the four years from 1997 to 2001. Fundraising is just as necessary as ever of course, to provide Real Help for Real Hope for ourselves and for future generations. Click here to bring yourself up to date with what's happening. | |
|
|
|
Supporters Index
In the News Becoming a fundraiser To search this website enter one or more keywords and
click the "Search" button Email Us:
|
Go
to Press Release Index
PRESS
RELEASE Why the Queen has given Christie's the bird!
As Patron of the Royal Pigeon Racing Association Her Majesty has her own Sandringham lofts from which she gave a bird to an extra-special Haslingden Charity Pigeon Sale for the £25m centenary appeal of Manchester's famous cancer centre. Her donation helped draw over 350 enthusiasts from all over the North West into a packed Haslingden Cricket Club whose committee had donated their facilities. Keen bidding for the 88 birds on offer raised £5,300. A raffle plus donations, including many by post from fanciers all over the country, boosted this to a record £6,155 - almost double the usual amount for a Haslingden charity sale. The Royal bird fetched a respectable £110, but top price of £230 was paid for an 'in the purple' specimen of top class racing pedigree. "We are over the moon, both about Her Majesty's support and how much it has helped us raise for Christie's," said member Jim Hilton (45) of Ramsbottom. They held the special sale im in memory of three supporters who died from cancer during the year. They were Jim's wife Sheila (43) who was treated at Christie's for breast cancer, Albert Dearden of Rochdale and Derek Smith of Heywood. So Jim's close friend, George Hilson of Bury pledged to revive the old charity sale of years ago - "just for Christie's". He was readily helped by other enthusiasts including well known Bury pigeon auctioneer Eric Entwistle, RPRA vice president Brian Tattersall and Alan Parker both of Clitheroe, with Bob Hellens, (Radcliffe) and Kenny Green (Whitefield). It was George approached the Sandringham loft keeper requesting one of the Queen's birds. "Everyone has been brilliant," he said this week as team members presented their cheque to Christie regional appeals officer Jacky Plant. "People so wanted to help. Amtrak the parcel service even collected birds from Peterhead, Southampton and in Ireland for us. Each time waiving their usual fee of £15 a bird. The only thing we actually paid for was half the advertising costs. During the sale the atmosphere in the room was absolutely electric. People came really wanting to spend their money to help Christie's."
Ends Issued by Anne Statham PR tel: 01625 526479/521279 |
General Charitable Fund Registered Charity No 1049751 |
The Queen has given personal support to the 'Christie's'
appeal - by donating a racing pigeon to a special event run by Bury area and
other enthusiasts