Henry ‘Blowers’ Blofeld to hold an evening of banter at Sidmouth’s theatre in February

EVER mindful of the constant and pressing need to raise funds, Sidmouth Cricket Club has come up with an intriguing and inventive wheeze.

On Saturday, February 11, Sidmouth’s Manor Pavilion Theatre plays host to one of British broadcasting’s most charming eccentrics, the affable Henry Blofeld, writes Stephen Chilcott.

The author, journalist, cricket commentator, wit, entertainer, public speaker and wine expert - known to friends, colleagues and Test Match Special fans alike as Blowers – will take part in an evening of banter, anecdote and hilarious racontage entitled Shaken NOT Stirred, an oblique reference, no doubt, to Blowers’ school-day friendship with James Bond creator, Ian Fleming.

The previous evening, Friday, February 10, eight lucky winners of a club-sponsored draw will be able to join Blowers himself at Sidmouth’s elegant seafront Belmont Hotel for an exclusive, and superb, four-course dinner with a chance to talk cricket…or for that matter anything else that takes their fancy.

Additional prizes include tickets for the Saturday Manor Pavilion show itself, which is expected to sell out, plus a range of prizes already listed on the Sidmouth CC website.

These include best-of-house cinema tickets at Sidmouth’s delightful Radway Cinema and a range of tickets for some superb, upcoming entertainments in the area including Paul Atterbury and Hilary Kay from BBC TV’s Antiques Roadshow – at the Manor Pavilion in April, Fisherman’s Friends and the Exeter Comedy Club, both at the city’s Corn Exchange.

Draw tickets, at �1 each, are available from the club by contacting Steve Chilcott on 07891 663044 (stephen857@btinternet.com) . You can even book them by credit card!