The Grand Ballroom at the Dorchester was once again packed to the rafters for the annual Lady Taverners Tribute Lunch which was this year held in honour of Sir Tim Rice.

Once the 500 guests were seated, after the Champagne reception, sponsored by Holland America, host Judith Chalmers read out messages from HRH The Countess of Wessex and Lord Lloyd Webber, who were reluctantly unable to join us in person.

A film of Sir Tim’s career highlights was followed by a brilliantly-sung Grace from Cantabile, before Judy read further messages from Benny and Bjorn, Barbara Dickson, Ronnie Corbett and Sir John Major.

In between personal tributes from Christopher Martin-Jenkins and Baroness Heyhoe Flint, Jo and Andy Rice performed a quite hilarious tribute on stage, which really has to be seen to be believed – video footage will be on YouTube soon!

Sir Tim then introduced the afternoon’s first musical section, featuring the vocal talents of Emma Monro-Wilson and Lewis Bradley.

As ever, Neil Durden-Smith conducted the auction with aplomb, raising a phenomenal amount from the auction items, including £10,000 for lunch with Sir Tim in the boardroom at Coutts & Co and £12,000 for the ‘ultimate British Airways package’, including a two-hour flight in BA’s multi-million pound full-motion flight simulator and exclusive Club World trip to New York.

Messages from Australian cricketers, Dennis Lillee and Alan Davidson, were followed by a tribute from Mike Gatting, before yet more amusing messages from Rory Bremner and Elaine Paige.

The afternoon’s second musical section was a special treat; a live performance from composer and pianist, Alan Menken, who has won more Oscars than any other living individual and been Oscar-nominated no fewer than 19 times.

Sir Tim’s children, Eva and Donald, then invited Sir Tim to take part in a special quiz about his illustrious career in show business, which had the audience in fits of laughter, before a final video message from Sir Elton John, who apologised for being unable to attend as he was promoting The Lion King in Lithuania.

Judy thanked headline sponsors, Raymond and Christel Stoner, and diamond sponsors, Len and Carol Hatton, before Marilyn Fry , chairman of the event committee, invited Sir Tim on stage to receive a gift from The Lady Taverners; a willow tree, from which he can make a cricket bat in years to come.

Cantible returned to the stage to sing, who in turn invited Sir Tim back on stage to sing ‘Wandering Star’ with them, before Lady Taverners President, Angela Rippon, drew the raffle.

A fantastic afternoon raised nearly £60,000 for The Lady Taverners, thanks to the generosity of the guests and hard work of the Tribute Lunch committee: Marilyn Fry, Susie Burrows, Angela Griffiths, Eileen Heinink, Lynn Narraway, Margaret Price, Sally Surridge, Katie Bower and Emma Lewendon.

 

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