Friday, 06 November 2009

Sports memorabilia auction for Help 4 Heroes

Some much sought-after sporting memorabilia has already ensured that there is ‘lots and lots’ of interest in an auction being held in Swindon in aid of Help 4 Heroes later this month.

Among the items that will be going under the hammer at the sell-out event are part of Formula One world champion Jenson Button’s car – signed by the British race ace – and a Real Madrid shirt autographed by World Footballer of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Guests at the black tie function, which takes place at The Wiltshire Golf & Country Club in Wootton Bassett on Thursday 19^th November, will also have the chance to bid for a host of footballing souvenirs collected during a 24-hour tour of every Premiership club. It was undertaken by a trio of personnel from the nearby RAF base at Lyneham – Corporals Johnny Carberry-Rogers and Gareth Owens and Flight Lieutenant Ben Hanson – and David Harries, General Sales Manager at Mercedes-Benz of Swindon, which provided a vehicle for the 1,200-mile trip.

As part of its involvement in the Help 4 Heroes fund-raiser, the Drakes Way retailer has also helped with ticket sales for the auction and arranged one of the guest speakers, England football legend and manager of the nation’s under 21 team, Stuart Pearce, who is also a Mercedes-Benz of Swindon customer. As well as listening to Stuart’s soccer tales, guests will also be provided with an insight on the work of the military charity by former Army Major David Bradley, who survived after being hit by a rocket propelled grenade in Iraq.

“There has been tremendous interest in the auction and the 180 tickets were snapped up without the event having to be advertised,” said David Harries. “Thanks to the generosity of various organisations, we have managed to gather some fantastic lots ranging from sports memorabilia such as a crash helmet autographed by motor racing driver Fernando Alonso and an autographed Chelsea shirt to items such as a weekend break for two at the Berkeley Hotel in London and luxury hampers.

“’Silent bids’ have already been coming in from people who are unable to attend the auction in person and will be revealed on the evening, so we’re hoping to raise somewhere between £5,000 and £10,000 if all goes to plan.”

The list of lots going under the hammer -

1) Liverpool Football Club Pennant Signed and Framed by Daniel Agger.

2) Signed Sunderland Ball

3) Signed and Framed Bath Rugby Club Signed Shirt Plus, tickets for Bath Vs London Irish Saturday 28^th November

Plus VIP tour of Bath Ales for up to 20 People (does not have to be the same day)

4) Ultimate Golf Package 4 Ball of Golf @ Bowood, Wrag Barn, Broome Manor and Ogbourne Down plus Picture of the 18^th Hole at St Andrews

5) Signed and Framed Tottenham Hotspur Football Club 2009/10 Pennant

6) 1 hour fight in a De Havilland Chipmunk

7) Signed and Framed Arsenal Football Club 2009/10 Pennant

8) Only 1 of 4 Print made of the 617 Squadron ‘The Dambusters’

9)Framed West Ham Pennant Signed by Gianfranco Zola West Ham Jacket, Signed Behrami Shirt, Presentation box with Scarf

10) VIP Golfing Package 4 Ball of Golf @ The Manor House Castle Combe, The Players, Marlborough, Sandford Springs(tbc at time of going to press) and Newbury and Crookham Golf Course.

11) Signed Framed 2009/10 Season Manchester United Pennant

12) Full F1 Williams Race Jacket Signed by Nico Roseburg and Kazuki Nakajima plus Drivers race visor signed by the both drivers

13) Day Spa for 2 People at Whatley Manor Spa

14) Signed Swindon Town Ball plus 4 tickets for Swindon Town Vs Bristol Rovers on Saturday March 6^th 2010 with full VIP Hospitality

15) A Half Size Signed Fernando Alonso F1 Helmet, plus Signed and Framed Nelson Piquet Junior Shirt

16) Signed and Framed 2009/10 Season Chelsea Shirt, plus 2 Tickets for Chelsea Vs Portsmouth at Stamford Bridge on 16^th December 2009 including being chauffeured to the game in a Mercedes S Class

17) 4 Ball at the fantastic Wentworth Golf Club – West Course

18) Thales 2 Hour K Flight Simulator Slot for 6 People

19) 2 Nights Weekend Stay for 2 People in the Deluxe King Room including The Berkeley Breakfast at The Berkeley Luxury Hotel, London

20) Match Spec Real Madrid No 9 Shirt signed by World Footballer of the year Ronaldo

21) Exhaust and Suspension panel from Brawn GP Formula One Team Car Signed by the 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button

Items also available to place silent bids on will be located around the room on the night.

Signed and framed Everton Pennant

Signed and framed Stoke City Shirt

Signed and framed Blackburn Rovers Shirt

Signed and framed Wigan Shirt

Signed and framed Wolves Pennant

Signed and framed Portsmouth Shirt