Celebrity lunch raises £7,600 for Stevenage charity
13th December 2013
The Stevenage Community Trust (SCT) held the event on Friday with 220 guests. World record holding javelin thrower Steve Backley served as a special guest speaker.
Guests also included the SCT president and best-selling author Ken Follett and Stevenage mayor Jack Pickersgill.
People who had benefited from the SCT’s charitable work were also present, such as 15-year-old Alisha Levy, of Stevenage, who has previously held UK number one ranking in javelin throwing. A grant from the SCT was used to buy Miss Levy’s first javelin, which was specially designed for an elite thrower.
Robert Stewart, chairman of the SCT, said: “Our 23rd celebrity lunch was particularly special as we were able to hear first-hand from guests how the grants they had received from the Stevenage Community Trust had helped them.
“We also had the opportunity of thanking our former president Barry Norman who has served 23 years in the position and who also was delighted at Ken Follett who served seven years as chairman and now becomes the president and importantly remains as a trustee on the board.
“Former world athlete of the year Steve Backley’s speech was nothing short of inspirational and to see a queue of guests lining up to speak with him afterwards, an hour after the event had finished topped off a wonderful afternoon.”
An online auction was also held with an iPad being placed on every table and guests being given the opportunity to bid via their device. The auction raised £3,620 of the overall total.
