Hospice cuts its ties with celebrity patron
Howard Lake | 24 August 2004 | News
A Stoke-on-Trent hospice has severed its links with TV presenter Anthea Turner because, it claims, she failed to turn up at two charity events.
Karen Rose, head of fundraising at the Douglas Macmillan hospice told BBC Radio Stoke that the former Blue Peter presenter had not attended their Christmas appeal event or their Spring launch, and had not been able to suggest alternative dates.
She added: “she has pulled out of a number of events that have taken a great deal of time to set up and people have actually bought tickets to attend these events to see or hear Anthea.”
Ms Turner was appointed patron in October 2003. However, the hospice says it has not heard from her for five months. She has been replaced as patron by two local celebrities, singer Denise Leigh who won the Operatunity talent contest on Channel 4 in 2003, and chinaware business leader Lord Wedgewood.
Ms Turner’s spokesperson explained that her TV work takes precedence over her charity work.
Ms Turner is continuing her support of some charities: for example, in July 2004 she and husband Grant Bovey raised £100,000 from an event at their home for skin disease charity Debra, and children’s hospice Chase.
www.dmhospice.org.uk
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.