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Welcome to the news centre for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital
Charity. Here you will find all the latest stories to bring you up
to date on what’s been happening.
If you have a PR enquiry, fundraising story or would like to be included
in our supporter Newsletter ‘Thank You’ then please contact:
Julie-Anne Weaver
Tel: 0161 276 6726
julie-anne.weaver@cmft.nhs.uk
The Bone Marrow transplant Unit was the first paediatric unit to receive national accreditation
Former England footballer John Barnes was offered a £1,000 charity donation to perform his famous World in Motion rap – and he didn’t disappoint. The former Liverpool winger rose to the challenge and helped to raise more than £50,000 for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity.
Celebrity Grilling: The Sequel, hosted by Angus Deayton, saw two celebrity teams going head to head to cook signature dishes, shake things up behind the bar and serve up a unique experience to guests at Restaurant Bar and Grill in Manchester. As well as trying to impress guests with their skills, the two teams had to ensure that their cooking skills met the approval of celebrity Head Chef, Something for the Weekend’s, Simon Rimmer.
Captain of the fork team, actor John Thomson, spiced things up with a starter of tandoori prawns while team mate Hollyoaks star Nick Pickard created the main course of slow cooked aged Aberdeen Angus beef fillet with wild mushrooms and butter roast fondant potato. Coronation Street star Samia Smith hoped her delicious desert would be sweet enough to win votes, while co star Brooke Vincent and presenter Terri Dwyer wowed guests with their serving skills and Hollyoaks star Ashley Taylor Dawson stirred things up behind the bar.
Knife team captain, former England and Liverpool footballer John Barnes led his team to victory preparing a main of herb roast lobster paella with lemon, with Sale Sharks and Welsh Rugby International Dwayne Peel creating the starter and Bolton Wanderers footballer Ivan Klasnić proving the proof is in the pudding. Helping John’s team on the attack front of house was Blackburn Rovers footballer David Dunn and Hollyoaks star Rachel Hassan. Sale Sharks and England Rugby International Charlie Hodgson proved he had a safe pair of hands while Hollyoaks star Jessica Fox added some fizz along side Charlie serving cocktails.
Things really started to heat up in the auction, kindly hosted by Key 103s Mike Toolan and Hugh Ferris, when Simon Rimmer offered up his apron and chef jacket, while a private jet taking the winning bidder on a Champagne flight from Manchester to Paris went under the hammer at £4,000.
Other prizes up for grabs in the auction included a Manchester United Shirt presentation with a player, a signed Pele shirt and set tours of Hollyoaks and Coronation Street. Guests were also offered the unique opportunity of a training session with Restaurant Bar & Grill’s Bar Manager to create and name a seasonal cocktail which will run across both Bar & Grill and Piccolino menus, with 50 pence from every sale of the newly created cocktail being donated to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity.
Steven Walker, owner of Restaurant Bar and Grill commented: “What an amazing evening made possible by the hard working celebrities and our generous guests. Once again to be sold out and raise over £50,000 for such an important and worthwhile cause is a huge achievement. Thank you to everyone involved.”
Maurice Watkins, Chairman of Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity added: “Celebrity Grilling: The Sequel was a superb event that would not have been possible without the generosity of Restaurant Bar and Grill and those who joined us for dinner. Our thanks must also be given to the celebrities who kindly gave their time to make this a night to remember. We are delighted that such a fabulous amount was raised on the evening, which will help us to make a difference to children and their families who use the children’s hospital.”
