Guests at Valentine's Day Ball
VALENTINE’S DAY BALL
In aid of Variety Club of Great Britain
Saturday, 10th February, 2006
The roots of the Variety Club of Great Britain go back to 1927 when, in Pittsburgh, United States, a group of 11 friends set up a social club, which they named the Variety Club, as all its members were drawn from various branches of the showbusiness world.
On Christmas Eve 1928 a one-month-old baby was abandoned on a seat in the Sheridan Square Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The mother had pinned a note to little girl’s dress, explaining that she already had eight other children and her husband was out of work. She appealed to “the goodness of showbusiness people” to look after her baby.
When all efforts by the police and local newspapers failed to locate the parents, the theatre's 11 club members decided to underwrite the infant's support and education. The subsequent publicity surrounding Catherine and her benefactors attracted many other showbusiness people anxious to help.
Before long Catherine had more clothes and toys than any child could possibly need. The Club members had no trouble finding other disadvantaged children to benefit from the extra gifts and while the generous showbusiness world donated presents to Catherine, the Club continued to supply a growing number of children with much-needed presents.
As a result, by the time Catherine was adopted at the age of five, the Club that she had effectively started was well on the way to becoming a recognised children's charity; actively raising funds for its adopted cause of disadvantaged children. Variety Club Ambasssadors from the world of entertainment mingled with the other guests attending the Valentine Ball, who whilst having a flutter on the charity casino, were serenaded by the sensational American Drifters at the Palace Hotel in Manchester.
Bellagio Time were pleased to donate a 2.10ct diamond timepiece, and also donated the use of the corporate hospitality box at Old Trafford for the last home game of the season. Together these items raised £2,200 on the evening.