MOD ICON SPORTS VILLA COLOURS FOR BIRMINGHAM HOSPICE

A Birmingham pub is taking its customers for a ride – back to the 1960’s! and it’s all for charity.

Regulars at the King Edward Pub in Birmingham – have re-built a 1960’s Lambretta Scooter from scratch and painted it in the colours of their favourite football team – Aston Villa.

The scooter, complete with signatures from all the team player is the centre of attraction at the pub on Lichfield Road, less that a mile from Villa Park.

Licensee, Lisa Dunne explained,
"My good friend, Paul Baldwin died in June from cancer. Paul was one of our regulars and a keen Villa supporter. Paul was only aged 37and he died at the John Taylor Hospice. His friends and family were keen to help repay the kindness shown to them and Paul by the staff of the Hospice.

The scooter arrived as a heap of parts from India and has been lovingly restored by another of Paul’s closest friends, Michael Austin. He and others have done a stunning job of restoring it.

We are offering the chance for anyone to win the scooter by paying £5 a ticket for a draw to be held in April – at the end of the football season. Noel Donaghy another friend of Paul is helping us to sell tickets for the draw."

Paul Baldwin was a member of the Royals Green Jackets and lived not far from the pub.

A sports forum was one of the events held recently to boost sales of tickets. Amongst those taking part were past Villa players, Gordon Cowans and Gary Shaw.

Tickets are £5 each and can be obtained from the pub or from the reception at John Taylor Hospice in Grange Road, Erdington, Birmingham. The pub also has a photographic display of the process of rebuilding the scooter which took over 4 months.

The John Taylor Hospice serves a population of over 400,000 in central, north and east Birmingham together with Sutton Coldfield and adjoining areas. For more information, go to www.johntaylorhospicelof.org.uk.

ENDS
Issued by Ray Woods, Marketing and Fundraising Officer, League of Friends of the John Taylor Hospice Mob: 07967 686230

Jpeg available from Ray Woods.

Contact: Lisa Dunne on 07711853406 for further information or photo opportunities.