Sir Bobby Robson handed cheque to hit £1m

Dec 30 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

A GALA fundraising night in aid of Sir Bobby Robson raised almost s175,000, taking the total raised for his cancer research charity past the s1m mark.

The Night of All Knights raised s173,500 when staged in October, and featured a host of top names from the world of sport including the former Newcastle manager himself.

Sir Bobby was joined by Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and Sir Bobby Charlton as well as Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall, Alan Shearer and a string of sporting names.

The star-studded night, attended by more than 1,000 guests, was organised by former cricketer Michael Roseberry and journalist Bob Cass for the Sir Bobby Robson Foundation.

And earlier this week the former England boss had the opportunity to thank Michael in person for his great efforts as he received the cheque for money raised.

He said: An event on this scale takes a great deal of time to organise and Im very aware of the huge amount of effort Michael and his team put in.

The Night of All Knights was a fantastic evening for everyone lucky enough to attend.

It was a very glamorous occasion made all the more special by the wonderful entertainment and high-profile guests who joined us in County Durham.

Michael and I have known each other for at least 20 years now and it means a lot that he is supporting me still.

His very significant contribution to my charity helped take us over the s1m mark and Im grateful for that.

Roseberry, a former England A, Middlesex CCC and Durham CCC captain, added that it was an honour to give something back.

He said: It has given me great pleasure being involved in such a wonderful event for a great man and a worthy charity, and the event was a major success on many fronts.

Over the years, and in my days as a professional cricketer, Sir Bobby has been very generous in his support of me especially in my testimonial year in 2003 awarded by Middlesex CCC.

I must stress that the event wasnt solely my idea but our true friend Bob Cass was also very instrumental and we had a great support team.

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 at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, which will treat patients from across the region from January.

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, Newcastle, NE7 7QG.

All donors will receive a personalised certificate and a letter of thanks from Sir Bobby.