The Flitwick Sportsman Dinner
An (Almost) Annual Charity Dinner at The Cross Keys Pulloxhill
The Annual Flitwick Sportsman Dinner, organised by our friends Gary Pearson and Stuart Billington, started in 2016 with the goal of giving guests the chance to spend an evening with some of the UK's best known sporting legends whilst raising crucial funds for local charities.
The event has been raising funds for Happy Days Children's Charity since 2017 and has become a vital support for our work in and around Bedfordshire, helping us to give literally 1000's of amazing local kids living with additional needs a chance to get out, make new friends, develop new skills and build confidence in the face of adversity.
Previous guest speakers have included Harry Redknapp, Matt Le Tissier, Jimmy Bullard and Ray Parlour and with help from some top-class comedy comperes and the sporting memorabilia auction, the event has helped raise almost £15,000 for Happy Days over the years.
Our sincerest thanks to Stuart and Gary and to the generosity of everyone that has attended for making this a truly special event which has made an enormous difference to the lives of vulnerable children in the community.
If you'd like get involved or to know when tickets go on sale for the next event, email Stuart at stubil39@gmail.com
The Event - Some Photos
The Venue
About the Cross Keys
"Our family has been running the Cross Keys for over 55 years and our lovely country pub and restaurant is situated in the heart of Bedfordshire with a large garden and paddock, where you will also find our lovely paddock marquee perfect for hosting life’s events or private events.
Paul took over the running of the business in 2014 and has continued to provide great food at great prices whilst supporting other small local businesses in the area by purchasing our raw ingredients from local providers, and using other local businesses for many services as well as being a big supporter of the local community and charities."
The "Russ Williams - Having a Laugh" Day
The Russ Williams "Having a Laugh" Day
Regulars of the Flitwick Sportsman Dinner will be hard pressed to forget the genius and inimitable comedy of regular compere Russ Williams, who we sadly lost in 2022.
Few who attended would escape Russ' acerbic wit, with any guests straying from their table during the evening likely to be a target. Celebrity guests weren't immune either, with Russ often putting them on the spot to raise even more for charity.
In memory of Russ and his efforts to support Happy Days, we introduced the "Russ Williams - Having a Laugh Day" in 2022 to ensure at least some of the funds raised at the FSD are used send children on a trip to see a comedy theatre performance. You can see some of these photos below.
Gallery of Some of the Children
We've Helped - Thanks to Your Support
