On Thursday last week I did an auction for Liam Botham (Ian Botham's son) who sadly had to reitre from active sport because of an injury. Liam reached the highest levels in rugby union, rugby league and county cricket. The highlight of the evening was a Q&A session with Shane Warne, Allan Border, Ian Botham and Freddie Flintoff. Shane Warne stole the evening with loud and raucous cheers, and then his views on the Australian management were reported in the press the following day. I raised £130,000 from the auction, the best prize being a trip to the West Indies, staying on a yacht with Ian Botham and watching the final of the cricket world cup.
The next auction was on Saturday evening, in Egham, on the banks of the Thames, in aid of various charities and organised by Professor Donald Longmore. The auction was attended by local people, and could not have been a more delightful afternoon. The charities benefited to the tune of some £10,000, and I ended up with a table made out of oak from The Victory, when no-one would out-bid me.
Last night I conducted an auction for Ashley Giles in the Long Room at Lord's. The highlight was Geoff Miller's (Test Selector) witty and apposite speech. He really is one of the best after dinner speakers in England, and his comments about facing Michael Holding as a night watchman, had the audience in fits of laughter - "If he'd delivered the ball from where he started his run-up, just by the pavilion steps, it would have been just fine". Ashley was supported by Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Alec Stewart, and all were given a rousing reception before their departure for Australia. Paul Collingwood understandably had to pull out of the evening at the last minute when his wife went into labour.
I have another auction tonight at the King's Head Theatre in Islington with Maureen Lipman, one on Saturday night for the charity Transplants In Mind, and then another next Wednesday at the Grosvenor House Hotel for Freddie Flintoff. Six auctions in fourteen days, and as I look through the diary, I see that the pace does not slow down before Christmas. Still aiming to raise £2m this year.
The next auction was on Saturday evening, in Egham, on the banks of the Thames, in aid of various charities and organised by Professor Donald Longmore. The auction was attended by local people, and could not have been a more delightful afternoon. The charities benefited to the tune of some £10,000, and I ended up with a table made out of oak from The Victory, when no-one would out-bid me.
Last night I conducted an auction for Ashley Giles in the Long Room at Lord's. The highlight was Geoff Miller's (Test Selector) witty and apposite speech. He really is one of the best after dinner speakers in England, and his comments about facing Michael Holding as a night watchman, had the audience in fits of laughter - "If he'd delivered the ball from where he started his run-up, just by the pavilion steps, it would have been just fine". Ashley was supported by Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell and Alec Stewart, and all were given a rousing reception before their departure for Australia. Paul Collingwood understandably had to pull out of the evening at the last minute when his wife went into labour.
I have another auction tonight at the King's Head Theatre in Islington with Maureen Lipman, one on Saturday night for the charity Transplants In Mind, and then another next Wednesday at the Grosvenor House Hotel for Freddie Flintoff. Six auctions in fourteen days, and as I look through the diary, I see that the pace does not slow down before Christmas. Still aiming to raise £2m this year.
3 Comments:
Hello Jeffrey
How much have you raised so far this year at your auctions?
I was at a charity painting auction last Saturday at the wonderful newly refurbished Kelvingrove Art Gallery in Glasgow (26 million pound facelift). The Queen reopened it last Wednesday.
There were seven new paintings by Glasgow artists depicting Glasgow Style!
Each artist had chosen a charity.
Unfortunately they all went for over my budget plus my wife had confiscated my credit card in case I had a rush of blood to the head!
The star painting was by Peter Howison which raised several thousands.
Best of luck with your target this year.
David
david - thank you. This year so far the auctions have raised just under a million for the charities, and I have 14 more auctions to do before Christmas.
Dear Lord Archer, I am so glad that you are able to find time in your busy life to do such a lot of good work for charity. Perhaps it will make up for your lapses in the past.
Charity Supporter
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