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Sir Bobby Robson Foundation
Achilles University Lodge No. 4078 held a ladies night and raised £2530 which was donated to the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation. The Foundation issued the following press release in September 2009 which was printed in the South Shields Gazette.
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(Left to Right) Paul Robson (Sir Bobby's son), W. Bro. Sunil Khanna (Master), Bro Shammi Nair (Catering Secretary), and Lady Elsie Robson. |
Just days after Sir Bobby Robson’s magnificent memorial service which was held at Durham Cathedral, his widow and eldest son continued with the day-to-day activity of his charitable Foundation by meeting with fund-raisers at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care in Newcastle.
Showing remarkable commitment to The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, despite such a difficult week, Lady Elsie and Paul Robson met with fund-raisers to discuss the charity and to say thank you in person for their efforts.
Sunil Khanna from Gosforth and Shammi Nair from Heaton, both Freemasons and members of the Achilles University Lodge in Newcastle, were among those who joined Lady Elsie and Paul for a cup of coffee at the Freeman Hospital.
Together they raised an impressive £2,530 for Sir Bobby’s charity through a sell-out event at the As You Like It restaurant in Jesmond, despite having just three weeks to organise it.
More than 100 people packed the venue to enjoy a fun evening which included raffles and an auction as well as some keenly contested games of bingo.
Sunil says: “Everybody is touched by cancer in one way or another so we hoped our members would back our efforts to raise money for Sir Bobby’s charity.
We needn’t have worried and their support was fantastic. Freemasons and their wives and girlfriends joined us from Lodges across the region and demand for tickets was incredible.
It was such a wonderful evening that we’re already planning another fund-raiser in April next year and with more than three weeks to organise it this time, we’re planning on making it an even bigger and better event for The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.”
Sir Bobby’s incredible commitment to his charity was recognized during his memorial service and Lady Elsie and Paul Robson were keen to help continue the work of the Foundation as soon as possible.
Lady Elsie says: “We’re very proud to see The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation carry on and it was a pleasure to meet with all the fund-raisers today. It’s nice to say thank you to people in person for their efforts just like Bobby would have done.”
Reflecting on the memorial service Lady Elsie adds: “It was very moving and beautiful and the setting was perfect for the occasion. My family and I thoroughly appreciate all the great efforts from the Football Association and clergy in bringing it together.
It was the service Bobby wished for and he chose much of the music like Pie Jesu, Nimrod and Nessun Dorma himself. He also asked for The Unifying Poem to be read.
He would have been thrilled by it all and proud that so many people were there and also came together to watch it at his former clubs.”
Since Sir Bobby sadly passed away on 31 July more than £156,000 has been donated to The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation bringing the total raised to around £1.8 million.
The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation focuses on the clinical trials of cancer drugs and treatments and has already equipped a trials unit at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle. It has also funded a specialist research nurse and doctor.
The Sir Bobby Robson Cancer Trials Research Centre offers patients from across north east England, North Yorkshire and Cumbria access to early trials and potential new treatments and is at the forefront of the fight against cancer.
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.
Issued on behalf of The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation (registered charity No: 1057213) by Longstone Public Relations.
