Economic Solutions

Sale Sharks tackle Challenge 4 Change!

November saw an impressive array of visitors to Challenge 4 Change which included the Sale Sharks Rugby Union team who popped down for a team bonding session at the centre along with former England Rugby Union start Jason Robinson. Sale came to C4C to prepare for their game at Leeds and subsequently went on to win their first away game since January!

Challenge 4 Change Dinner Hits the Heights

The First Challenge 4 Change Charity Sports Dinner sponsored by Business Link North West at Lancashire County Cricket Club on the 13^th November was a fantastic success.

The event was compered expertly by Andrew Nickeas (pictured right with Norman Whiteside) and CE Dave Djordjevic talked about the centre and paid tribute to the celebrities in the audience. These included, among others ex footballers Colin Hendry, Dennis Tueart, Frank Stapleton, Neil Pointon, Darren Beckford, Richard Jobson, Ian Mellor, Denis Leman, Pat Lally, Osher Williams and John Hudson as well as Ivan Lewis MP, who also donated an auction prize on the night.

Before dinner the attendees were treated to a moving performance of Ave Maria by the famous tenor John Christos. After dinner the talented young soprano Jenny Williams entertained the guests with a performance before being joined by Jon Christos to perform three duets which culminated in a fantastic performance of the operatic football anthem Nessum Dorma, to which Jon very proudly held up the Carols Tevez Welcome to Manchester auction prize while he sang.

The audience showed their appreciation for the performance of Jon and Jenny with a standing ovation. Jon and Jenny also very kindly allowed themselves to be auctioned on the night (a performance and a demo CD to be produced at Jon's studio) which raised £2,400 for Challenge 4 Change.

Manchester United and Northern Ireland football legend Norman Whiteside then beguiled the audience with stories of his football career, in which he scored in 3 Wembley cup finals, gained 2 FA Cup winners medals and broke Pele's record to become the youngest player ever to appear in a World Cup Finals in 1982.

Following on from Norman was comedian John Stiles. John is an ex footballer himself, playing for Leeds United. He is also the son of the legendary 1966 World Cup Winner and Wembley dancer Nobby Stiles, who was also a European Cup Winner in 1968 with United. John also conducted the sports memorabilia auction with Andrew Nickeas which included some fantastic items and helped the dinner raise over £8,000.

The top priced piece of sports memorabilia was a beautifully framed England Shirt donated by Umbro autographed by 9 of the World Cup winning team and this raised £800 closely followed by the Carlos Tevez "Welcome to Manchester" framed poster which raised £550.

Challenge 4 Change would like to thanks all of the sponsors for the evening and those that donated prizes.  We would also like to thank everyone that bid for the items, both online and on the evening, and in particular those who bought them. We would like to thank all of you who attended the dinner and all of the celebrities. Together you made a wonderful, memorable and very productive night for the charity and ensured that the real winners will be the young people of Greater Manchester who will benefit from the skills that C4C is able to give them.

If you would be interested in a sponsorship package for next years event then please click here for details.  (need to add a link that e-mails me with the subject 2010 Challenge 4 Change Sports Dinner).

Also as the Sports memorabilia Auction has now closed C4C is happy to bring you our XMAS Auction and the chance to win some extra special sports memorabilia.  The is now open and will remain so until 5pm on Friday 11^th December so any items bought can be with you in time for Christmas. Please see http://www.challenge4change.org/events/auction.aspx