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Over 200 guests packed the
ballroom at The Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane last
Sunday for the latest Heritage Foundation Tribute Luncheon given
in honour of Vicki herself. The event was hosted by friend and
former Allo Allo co star Roger Kitter whose first task was to
introduce Heritage Director, Dave Lodge who made the first
tribute speech to Vicki in which he thanked her on behalf of the
Foundation for her past and continued support with their work
and also commented on the numerous other charities and
individual people to whom Vicki lends her help and
encouragement. Also paying tribute were author, playwright and
Allo Allo co creator Jeremy Lloyd who composed an ode dedicated
to Vicki for the occasion, and colleagues Arthur Bostrom and
Frazer Hines who included personal memories of working with her.
Guests were treated
to a sumptuous lunch comprising of cheese and asparagus tart
with roasted cherry tomatoes and pesto dressing, followed by
herb roasted breast of chicken in red wine sauce, mashed potato,
green beans with crispy bacon and caramelised onions and a
dessert of rhubarb and apple crumble with vanilla ice cream with
coffee and petit fours to finish.
Entertainment began in the form
of 3 montage clips of Vicki’s career including her early years,
Allo Allo days and most recent performances before the celebrity
auction led by Joe Goodman, ably aided and abetted by Roger
Kitter and Bobby Davro. Among the scheduled auction items were a
number of memorabilia pieces from Allo Allo signed by Vicki and
fellow cast members, signed pennants for Chelsea and Arsenal
Football Clubs and a framed Lady Killers DVD compilation signed
by Herbert Lom. Also donated by guests on the day were a pair of
tickets to the opening England Test Match at Lords, 3 pairs of
tickets to the 2008 Royal Variety show and after show party and
the opportunity to be photographed with Vicki and appear in OK
Magazine. Other contributors to the auction were legendary
singer PJ Proby and Sir George Martin.
Before the raffle,
Vicki took to the stage to thank the organizers and everyone
involved for a wonderful day and her family for their constant
love and support throughout her career. She then embarked on a
question and answer session in which she invited those present
from the cast of Allo Allo to join her and to help draw the
raffle.
Vicki was accompanied on the day
by husband director of photography, Graham Fowler, daughter
Louise, mum Joan, two of her sisters and several members of her
extended family as well as close friends. Among the celebrity
and high profile guests were Lord and Lady Roberts Davidson,
Jeremy Lloyd from the cast of Allo Allo:- Kim Hartman, Arthur
Bostrom, Richard Gibson, Sam Kelly, Roger Kitter, Nicholas
Frankau, John D Collins and Robin Parkinson. From Eastenders :-
Wendy Richard, Emma Barton, Andrew Lynford, Bobby Davro and Joel
Beckett. From Last of the Summer Wine:- Jean Fergusson, Juliette
Kaplan and Burt Kwouk together with Jeffrey Holland, Judy
Buxton, Robert Duncan, Giles Watling, Lynda Baron, Philip Madoc,
Jeff Stewart, Harry Landis, Ben Stock and many more.
Profits from the
event were donated to the Entertainment Artistes Benevolent Fund
and The Dream Factory, founded by Avril Mills, a charity who aim to brighten the lives
and encourage hope for children and young adults with life
threatening or limiting conditions by way of granting wishes and
dreams and of which Vicki is a Patron. |
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