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Who won the Wellie award for March? 150 150 mhamer

Who won the Wellie award for March?

Jimmy Cricket with Jim Nicholas and Eileen

A lady who has given a considerable amount of money to charity was the winner of Jimmy Cricket’s Golden Wellington award for March.

Last year, Eileen Gleave generously donated a large sum to the Francis House Children’s Hospice, located in south Manchester.

The award was presented to Eileen at a fundraising event at the Greater Manchester Police Sports & Social Club, which is based at Hough End in Chorlton.

* The photo is of Eileen and Jimmy with DJ Jim Nicholas – both Jims were part of the evening’s programme of entertainment.

Golden award for ‘inspirational young man’ 150 150 mhamer

Golden award for ‘inspirational young man’
Jimmy Cricket with Golden Wellie award winner Sonny

Jimmy presents “courageous” Sonny with the Golden Wellie award for February

A young man whose “courage and tenacity” impressed entertainer Jimmy Cricket is the February winner of the Golden Wellie award.

Jimmy met Sonny who accompanied reporter Graham Ashworth when he was interviewing the Northern Irish comedian just before Christmas for the Local Journal in Rossendale.

Sonny was diagnosed with leukaemia in 2012 and had a bone marrow transplant 12 months ago which was kindly donated by his brother, Spencer. Sonny is currently in remission and undergoing radiation treatment.

Jimmy said: “I was only told of sonny’s circumstances at the end of Graham’s interview with me. On hearing the news, I could not believe what I was being told because of Sonny’s great attitude and friendly demeanour.

“I was particularly impressed with Sonny’s courage and tenacity. I also learnt that Sonny was planning to revisit the cancer ward at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital over the forthcoming Christmas period with gifts for the children there and to show them that as he is recovering so can they.”

After meeting this “inspirational young man”, Jimmy thought he would acknowledge the occasion in his own very personal way by presenting him with the Golden Wellie award.

Social club is ‘the place to be!’ 150 150 mhamer

Social club is ‘the place to be!’

Jimmy Cricket is returning to St Kentigern’s Irish Club in south ManchesterJimmy Cricket is returning next month to an Irish club which bills itself as “the place to be!”

The well-known entertainer has performed several times previously at St Kentigern’s Irish Social Club in Fallowfield, south Manchester.

And he is back there on Friday 7 February, with all the proceeds from the show being donated to the nearby Cornerstone Day Centre.

Jimmy has done several charity events at St Kentigern’s for this very worthy cause and the day centre is run by a magnificent and dedicated nun called Sr Lucy. It specialises in providing a helping hand to the homeless and dispossessed.

He said: “I have the utmost respect for the commitment and compassion Sr Lucy has for this day centre, so much so that I find it difficult to decline any requests for help from Sr Lucy with her fundraising for the centre!

“So if you are in the area on the seventh of February, come along and enjoy some craic [Gaelic word meaning ‘fun’] while raising money for a great cause.”

Festive Liz gets Wellie award 150 150 mhamer

Festive Liz gets Wellie award

Jimmy Cricket with marketing manager Liz CooperA lady who gave Jimmy Cricket and his panto colleagues a great Christmas send-off is the January winner of the Golden Wellie award.

Liz Cooper is the marking manager at the Forum Theatre in Billingham where the famous Northern Irish entertainer appeared in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs over the festive period.

Jimmy said: “Liz went above the call of duty on Christmas Eve and decorated with festive trimmings the dressings rooms occupied by the cast of the pantomime. She was ably abetted in this feat by her daughter.

“In 25 years of doing pantos across the UK, this is the first time that I have encountered the theatre’s staff going to the length of ensuring the cast have a Christmas send-off  and this special gesture certainly got everyone into the Christmas spirit.”

Jimmy, whose festively decorated panto dressing room is pictured below, was so impressed and grateful for what Liz had done that he wanted to acknowledge her efforts by awarding her the Golden Wellington (above).

Jimmy Cricket's panto dressing room

Christmas card features stolen wellies 150 150 mhamer

Christmas card features stolen wellies

Jimmy Cricket's Christmas cardJimmy Cricket’s latest Christmas card is based on his concrete wellies which were stolen last summer.

And the specially designed card is the subject of a story in his local newspaper, the Rochdale Observer.

The concrete wellies, which had been given to Rochdale-based Jimmy as a 50th birthday present by fellow comedian Ken Dodd, were taken from his garden in Shawclough.

Northern Irish entertainer Jimmy is famous for wearing wellingtons, marked with the letters R and L on the wrong feet, during his acts.

He said at the time of the theft that the concrete wellies were of “high sentimental value”.

The BBC, ITV, the Rochdale Observer and several radio stations were among many media organisations to report on the crime.

Saturday’s edition (21 December) of the Observer features Jimmy’s 2013 Christmas card (above right) which has him appealing to Santa Claus to retrieve his wellies and put them under his Christmas tree on the big day (see image below).

The Belfast-born funnyman used the inspiration of London 2012 when it came to designing last year’s Christmas card, which featured Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Mo Farah.

* Jimmy, who is currently appearing in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Forum Theatre in Billingham near Middlesbrough, wishes everybody a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

Jimmy Cricket's Christmas card which features in the Rochdale Observer

Like father like daughter… 150 150 mhamer

Like father like daughter…

Katie Mulgrew features in the Christmas edition of Rochdale magazine StyleJimmy Cricket’s comedienne daughter has appeared in the Christmas edition of the Rochdale-based and focused glossy magazine Style.

Katie Mulgrew was interviewed by Style writer Ruth Meredith for the feature.

The article says Katie has been hailed as one of the UK circuit’s “bright young things” and received some very positive reviews for her Edinburgh Fringe debut this summer.

Famous comedian Jimmy said: “This was a really nice article on Katie and it made me chuckle on a number of occasions when I read it!

“Hats off to Ruth Meredith who wrote the article and her dad Colin for producing another belting edition of the local Rochdale magazine Style.”

Charity efforts earn PCSO special award 150 150 mhamer

Charity efforts earn PCSO special award

Janet, Jim, Jimmy Cricket and AndreaA Greater Manchester police community support officer is the latest winner of Jimmy Cricket’s Golden Wellie award.

Janet (pictured on the left in the photo above with Jimmy and his good friend Jim Nicholas) recently organised a charity event for the Francis House Children’s Club at the Hough End Police Club in South Manchester.

The other lady in the photo is Andrea who works for Barclays Bank; she had arranged for her organisation to match the money raised by Janet pound for pound.

Rochdale-based entertainer Jimmy said: “PCSO Janet went to a magnificent effort in organising this event; she not only sold tickets around her beat in Swinton in Salford, but placed adverts throughout all the police stations of Manchester!

“The event raised around £1,500, and for her fine efforts and determination to make this event a success, I presented PCSO Janet with this Golden Wellie award.”