Sporting Inspirations Dinner 2011: an evening with cricket legends!

Thanks to all the very generous people who attended Sporting Inspirations Dinner at the London Marriott Grosvenor Square and who have raised over £100,000 for our work.

The record-breaking fundraising event was hosted by Scope Patron Alastair Stewart OBE, ITN’s news anchor. He introduced Scope Chair Alice Maynard, who explained how the money raised would support our Face 2 Face parent befriending schemes that support 4,000 families of disabled children every year.

Jonathan Agnew, the BBC's cricket correspondent, was in conversation with England cricket vice-captain Alastair Cook MBE, who talked about his record-breaking 36 hours of batting in Australia, the One-Day Internationals in India and the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan.

Former England Test captain Chris Cowdrey was auctioneer and raised nearly £20,000 from eight lots, which included a tour of the ITN studios, a large scale replica of Jenson Button’s Formula One car and a one-week stay in a luxury villa in Barbados!

The silent auction had many fantastic items, including MCC cricket coaching for your school, afternoon tea with Cherie Blair at Brown’s Hotel in Mayfair, a signed photo of the Downton Abbey cast and several amazing holidays and short breaks. It raised just over £20,000 to bring the total for the event to over £100,000 – that’s enough to support 200 families, a truly life-changing amount!

For further information or to book your tables or tickets for future events, please contact Sue Dorrington, Special Events, Scope on 020 7619 7271 or email her.