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November 26, 2002 07:06
JANE Asher's wooden spoon, a T-shirt signed by Mick Jagger and a book autographed by notorious East End gangster Reggie Kray.
The items are among an eclectic mix of signed memorabilia which looks set to raise thousands of pounds for East Anglia's Children's Hospices when it goes under the hammer in Suffolk on Saturday .
The distinctive assortment includes a one-off black Ipswich Town shirt, worn by Jamie Clapham during the away fixture against Blackburn Rovers last season and a signed picture of England hero David Beckham.
EACH (East Anglia's Children's Hospices) is organising the event, and officials are optimistic the bidding will be fierce for exclusive items such as a single sheet signed by all four members of The Who � valued by auctioneers Sotherby's at around �250.
Robin Sharp, EACH community fundraiser, said: "The response we have had from the celebrities has been amazing. We only started writing to them two or three months ago, and the feedback has been incredible. We have got just over 400 lots, and I am fairly confident we can beat the �1,600 we raised at our last auction two years ago.
"We have a massive range of items from the worlds of sport, literature, politics, showbusiness, the arts and notoriety. They would make the ideal Christmas present with a difference.
"We have got all sorts of quirky things for sale, including a huge picture of David Ginola, which could upset a husband or two if it was hung on a bedroom wall!"
EACH, which runs three hospices for terminally ill children in Ipswich, Quiddenham in Norfolk and Milton in Cambridgeshire, receives 10% of its funding from local health authorities, but must raise the remainder of the �3.5m annual running costs from charity events.
The group provides bereavement care for children and their families, along with home support through community nursing teams.
Mr Sharp, who plans to bid for an exclusive drawing of cult children's character Captain Pugwash on Saturday, said events such as the celebrity auction were essential to help keep this valuable service running.
"We have to raise a lot of money each year to keep the service going, and therefore we try and think of strange and wacky ideas to excite the public," he added.
"Maybe with Christmas coming up, we will get a few people at the auction keen to bag an unusual gift. After all, I think we really have got something for everyone."
The lots will go under the hammer at The Old School in Long Melford at 1pm. Doors open for viewing at 10am.
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CHAT ROOM aka THE FUN HOUSE] [
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