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Sarah Todd: Village pub and cricket stars team up to bat for our heroes
PRINCE Charles would have been proud of our village pub last weekend.
It hosted a barbecue in aid of the injured servicemen's charity, Help for Heroes, and as an aside, highlighted the pulling power of rural pubs.
It's six years since His Royal Highness set up the Pub is the Hub campaign to save country pubs from extinction.
Our local was teeming with cricket's great and good after Saturday's Ashes game at Headingley. Supposedly, the world – or at least the metropolis of Leeds – was their oyster. But instead they opted for a long drive to a beer garden barbecue in aid of the soldiers. After a whip round for the charity, former England player Craig White took to the stage, sorry patio area, singing and playing the guitar.
Other names that even this cricketing ignoramus had heard of included Australia's Jason Gillespie and Darren Lehmann – pictured with our gap-toothed son. Observant readers will note that his tiny cricket bat is a Nixon, handmade by Yorkshireman Nicky Nixon who is one of the country's last remaining traditional bat makers. It's a difficult marketplace as so much money is pumped into sponsorship and advertising by the big (machine made) makes of bat.
At a time when it's said at least three rural pubs a week are disappearing, it's heartening to see that they still have an appeal. Of course, the event was in aid of an incredibly worthwhile cause, but even so, would the cricketing legends have been so keen to attend if the venue and guest list had been more cosmopolitan? A good pint and a bite to eat in unpretentious surroundings obviously appealed.
As well as being supporters of the traditional rural pub, the Royal Family give their backing to the Help for Heroes. It has a simple message, not seeking to criticise or be political, just raising money and getting guidance from the experts in the Army, Royal Navy and Royal
Air Force on how best to spend it. It was interesting
to learn that the charity was founded by the countryside cartoonist, and now appeal chairman, Bryn Parry.
There will be few who have visited agricultural shows and horsy events who haven't noticed his often comical artwork on everything from mugs to teatowels.
For further information visit www.helpforheroes.org.uk or call 0845 6731760.
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Saturday 04 February 2012
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