Stars come out for charity's West Wycombe bash (From This Is Local London)

Stars come out for charity's West Wycombe bash

8:10am Sunday 5th September 2010 in

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A SPECTACULAR firework display brought the curtain down on a star-studded concert to celebrate a south Buckinghamshire nursing charity's 25th anniversary.

More than a thousand carers, volunteers, patients and music-loving residents snapped up tickets for the 25th Anniversary Celebrations party in West Wycombe Park in aid of Iain Rennie Hospice At Home.

BBC Breakfast presenter and patron Bill Turnbull opened Saturday night's show and introduced Abba Forever, who had the crowd singing and dancing in the picturesque grounds.

Brit Award winning singer and Beaconsfield resident Beverly Craven wowed the West Wycombe crowd before the show went out with a bang, as hundreds of colourful fireworks lit up the night sky.

Charity patron and Time Goes By actor Geoffrey Palmer OBE was one of the celebrities watching on in support of the charity.

He said: “I got involved about 21 years ago when a friend of mine, actor Tenniel Evans introduced, me and I thought why not? It's a very important Chilterns charity.

“This is a wonderful event in aid of an amazing organisation, which has enthusiastic, dedicated and caring staff. It's a pleasure to support them.”

Legendary weatherman and patron of six years Bill Giles OBE manned the tombola and raffle stand throughout the five hour event.

He said: “The funding we get from the government is pitiful so we have to raise most of the money to fund everything ourselves.

“The work they do is incredible and it's not just the immediate nursing care, it's the after care it provides, the people here are fantastic.

“I am here for the whole atmosphere, to celebrate the 25 years of the Iain Rennie Hospice, to raise some money and to of course enjoy some live music.”

High Wycombe man David Coles enrolled as a volunteer four years ago after his wife, who was cared for by IRHH nurses, died in 2004.

He said: “You can never repay what they did but I wanted to give something back.

“I love these events, when you lose someone close to you, you also lose a way of life and this has given me a new life, I know more people now then I have in my whole life.”

Martha Lewis made the trip over from Farnham Common for the event with a group of friends all wearing illuminous wigs.

She said: “I was helped by the nurses of Iain Rennie, they were fantastic for me and this concert has been brilliant, everyone is having fun.”