Would you like Jason Manford to propose to your partner on your behalf or be the person who introduces Johnny Vegas live on stage or win an exclusive comedy show to take place in your home? Members of the public are able to bid for these, and other lots, in an exclusive Comedy Auction raising money to support the registered charity behind the annual Leicester Comedy Festival.
Big Difference Company (registered charity 1135167) has produced the festival every February since 1994 in addition to a range of year round projects which involve members of the community. Recent projects have included working with young offenders to reduce reoffending, projects aimed at improving health and wellbeing and activities designed for people living with dementia.
The online auction is now live and available by visiting www.comedy-festival.co.uk The live auction will take place on Friday 10th February at Just the Tonic, Hansom Hall, hosted by Storage Hunters UK host Sean Kelly.
One of the headline lots is an opportunity to bid for Jason Manford to record a marriage proposal, on your behalf, to your partner. The video will go live on Valentine’s Day (Tuesday 14th February) and organisers of the festival are keeping their fingers crossed the answer will be “yes”! Other comedians who are supporting the auction include Johnny Vegas who has agreed to be introduced on stage by a fan who is willing to bid money to support the charity. Budding musicians and singers can also bid to perform Spinal Tap Karaoke with a full live band when the classic film is screened in full during Leicester Comedy Festival 2017. All the auction lots can be seen on the website www.comedy-festival.co.uk
Leicester Comedy Festival has a long tradition of working with partner organisations to encourage wide participation in the annual event and throughout the year. Previous projects include workshops using improvised comedy and cartooning to develop young people’s confidence and language skills. In 2017 over 800 school children will perform in the festival as well as projects working with mental health service users, older people and a seminar programme covering topics such as disability and comedy, and religion and offence. Less than 5% of Big Difference Company’s income comes from public subsidy and the auction is the latest in a line of fundraising projects to support their work.
Festival founder and CEO of Big Difference Company, Geoff Rowe, said “we are thrilled that Jason, Johnny, Sean and other comedians have agreed to support the festival for this charity auction. As a not-for-profit, registered charity it’s important that the festival continues to receive support from comedians who have performed over the past 23 years, as well as those who are just starting out. We hope the auction will become an annual event and bids start coming in from comedy fans across the UK.”
Leicester Comedy Festival runs from 8-26 February 2017. The full line up is available by visiting www.comedy-festival.co.uk
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