Bad Lashes to see in new year with Sir Bobby Robson

Dec 4 2008 by Paul Loraine, The Journal

NORTH East girl group Bad Lashes are to appear at a New Year’s Eve party in aid of Sir Bobby Robson’s cancer charity. The group, who shot to fame in the TV talent show X-Factor, are to perform at the Crystal Ball at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Durham.

Sir Bobby, who is fighting cancer for the fifth time, will be attending the event himself and tickets are selling fast, with well over half already snapped up.

Like Sir Bobby, Emily McNamee, 19, from Bad Lashes is from Durham and revealed she is excited at the prospect of performing in front of one of her heroes.

“These last few months have been just fantastic for us,” she said.

“We put Bad Lashes together just one week before the X-Factor started and ended up performing in front of 12 million people live on telly.

“Since leaving the show, our feet have not touched the ground and one of the many highlights was being involved in the fastest-selling number one hit Hero, which was recorded for our service men and women.

“To finish off the year singing to our own local hero, Sir Bobby, is humbling and I’m sure will be something we will always remember.

“He has done so much for the North East and it will be a real privilege to entertain him and all the people who will be supporting him on New Year’s Eve. I know that Bad Lashes are looking forward to partying with everyone at the Crystal Ball.”

The Sir Bobby Robson Foundation will initially focus on the early detection and treatment of cancer and will also help support clinical trials of promising new treatments to tackle the disease.

It has already raised enough money to set up a Cancer Trials Research Centre which will treat patients from across the region from January.

Tickets for the ball are priced at £85 each and are available from Top Gear Events. For more information, or to purchase a ticket, contact Gillian Rae on (0191) 378-0162.

Gillian is also looking for donations of raffle prizes.

To make a donation, view messages of support, or for more information on the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, visit www.sirbobbyrobsonfoundation.co.uk or donate by sending a cheque to Sir Bobby Robson Foundation, PO Box 307, Heaton NE7 7QG.