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03 April 2018

John Parrott MBE, former UK European and World Snooker Champion, was guest speaker at Birkenhead School’s Sports Personality Dinner on Friday 16th March.

John, winner of the 1991 Snooker World Championships, spoke passionately about his career, as well as sharing jokes and anecdotes, during the sell-out dinner.  During his career, John won a total of nine world ranking events, placing him eleventh on the all-time list.  John was followed by professional comedian, Gary Marshall.

The Sports Personality Dinner is an annual fixture at the School that raises funds for the year’s sports tour and charities local to the touring destination.  

This year, a group of sportsmen and women will travel to South Africa for nearly three weeks of sporting rivalry and cultural and geographical experiences.  Two netball teams and a hockey team – totalling 30 players – will play teams in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban and Cape Town, during the trip of a lifetime.

The School also welcomed Peter Scrivener, former rugby player for London Wasps to the dinner, who hosted an auction of selected sporting items to raise funds.  

John supported the auction by kindly signing a snooker cue and case and posed for photos with the successful bidder.
Charities supported through the Sports Personality Dinner included; Cancer Research, in memory of former student, Jack Hussey; Guild Cottage, a residential home for sexually abused girls in South Africa and Door of Hope, an orphanage located in Johannesburg.

The event was kindly supported by a number of sponsors, Bermans, Bridging Finance Solutions, Delta Group, Jonathan Goodwin, Solicitor Advocate, PWS, Rathbones, H1780 and LT Print Group.

Headmaster, Paul Vicars commented, “The Sports Personality Dinner is always an annual favourite and I am grateful to John, Peter, Gary and all our sponsors, many of whom are long standing supporters of the School, for making the evening such an enjoyable event.”

John Parrott is one of a number of high-profile speakers who have visited the School during the past 12 months.  Other notable guests have included: former England Cricket Captain, David Gower OBE, TV presenters and authors, Sir Tony Robinson and Clare Balding OBE and the Right Honourable Frank Field, MP.  In April, the School is welcoming World Superbike Champion, Carl Fogarty MBE to the School, in conjunction with Linghams Booksellers in Heswall.