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restaurant

And the latest Golden Wellie winner is… 150 150 mhamer

And the latest Golden Wellie winner is…

Jimmy Cricket’s latest Golden Wellington award has been presented to Danny Tujeshyn, who manages the restaurant at the Royal Toby Hotel in Castleton, Rochdale.

The famous entertainer decided to recognise the great hospitality and service Danny has provided to all who have been to the restaurant over the years, and also for all the assistance he has provided in helping the venue to host the Wooden Hut Club.

The club – of which Jimmy is a member – is a regular lunchtime get-together for the show business fraternity in the north of England.

Jimmy Cricket with Royal Toby manager Danny Tujeshyn

As Jimmy is a founding member, it just happened the club started meeting at the Royal Toby because of its proximity to the M62 motorway.

From its first convening several years ago, the club continues to meet at least six times a year at the Royal Toby restaurant and for its Christmas gathering it puts on a festive show for the elderly population of Rochdale.

Over the years, these lunchtime get togethers have featured notable performers such as Bernie Clifton, Graham Grumbleweed, Johnny Casson, Smug Roberts, John Henshall, Arthur Bostrom, Buzz Hawkins, Fred Fielder, Freddy ‘Parrot Face’ Davies and many more.

The latest club gathering was during the afternoon of Tuesday 21 October and Jimmy used the opportunity to thank in front of club members Danny’s contribution in helping to organise these luncheon events.

He also awarded Danny with the October Golden Wellington award (picture above).

Jimmy said: “I have been going to the Royal Toby restaurant for years, ever since I moved into Rochdale in the mid 1970s.

“It is my favourite restaurant because I am a fan of good food and good service. A lot of the latter has been down to how the restaurant has been run over the years and Danny has been a tremendous manager.

“When we started these Wooden Hut Club lunches several years ago, Danny was happy to host them – to the point where club members view the restaurant as its official home, even though we now have guests travelling over from as far as Chesterfield and Chester.

“This means there is no push to move the luncheon club to a venue in Manchester or Leeds as Danny always makes us feel very welcome and can be spotted wearing one of our Wooden Hut club badges!”

With a little help from my friends… 150 150 mhamer

With a little help from my friends…
Jimmy Cricket with Linda, Phil, May, Gloria, Eric and Linda

Jimmy with Linda, Phil, May, Gloria, Eric and Linda

Jimmy Cricket arranged a post-Christmas get-together for friends who have helped him a lot during the past 12 months.

The famous Irish comedian and his wife May invited the trio and their wives along to a local carvery restaurant in his hometown of Rochdale.

They included Phil Collinge, who is an excellent and experienced producer for an independent radio production company called Made in Manchester. He is working currently on a documentary about the history of comedy for BBC Radio and, guess what, Jimmy has already been interviewed for the series!

Eric Devereaux, who had one of the finest reputations on the Manchester club scene for his compere skills and his crooning abilities, has been helping Jimmy with his monthly JAM nights in Rochdale, which have been a huge success.

And Tony has been the main technical support for the JAM nights, where performers could come along and test out their repertoire in front of a warm and receptive audience.

Jimmy said: “I used the meal as a gesture of my gratitude and thought the pictures have turned out really well!”

Jimmy Cricket with Phil, May, Eric, Tony, Linda and Gloria

Jimmy with Phil, May, Eric, Tony, Linda and Gloria

Remembering a legend 150 150 mhamer

Remembering a legend
Fr Jimmy and Frankie Mulgrew, Jimmy Cricket's son

Fr Jimmy and Frankie Mulgrew, who is training to become a Catholic priest

Jimmy Cricket paid his respects to an inspirational priest on a recent visit to Liverpool.

The Irish comedian was appearing at this year’s Northern Catholic Conference (NCC), which is an annual fixture in Liverpool Hope University’s calendar.

He not only attended the social evening (which is traditionally scheduled for the middle evening of the conference), but he also participated in a special commemoration service to mark the outstanding life of the late Fr Jimmy Collins.

Canon Collins, who was parish priest of St Joseph the Worker in Kirkby for 30 years, died in April aged 94 – just three months short of the 70th anniversary of his priestly ordination. He was known to many as “Fr Jimmy” and “priest of the people”.

His funeral Mass took place on Tuesday 1 May, the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, when a congregation of 2,000 filled Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King.

The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Patrick Kelly, together with Auxiliary Bishop Tom Williams, retired Auxiliary Bishop Vincent Malone and 82 concelebrating priests from across the Liverpool Archdiocese and beyond.

“Fr Jimmy was a magnificent example of a man who lived life to the full,” says Jimmy Cricket. “He touched the lives of so many people. He has legendary status within his hometown of Liverpool.”

Jimmy’s son, Frankie, who is training to be a Roman Catholic priest and will soon be ordained a deacon, was one of the original members of the group that launched the Northern Catholic Conference a few years ago.

Since that first event, which was held at the Adelphi Hotel in Liverpool,the NCC has continued to grow since Hope University became its regular venue.

Jimmy Cricket with all the restaurant staff at Liverpool Hope University (a big thank-you to Helen Davis for this photo)

Jimmy with all the restaurant staff at Liverpool Hope University (thanks to Helen Davis for this photo)

The comedian and the birthday girl 150 150 mhamer

The comedian and the birthday girl
Jimmy Cricket with birthday girl Sandrea

Jimmy Cricket with birthday girl Sandrea

Jimmy Cricket had this photograph taken with a lady called Sandrea at The Royal Toby restaurant in Rochdale when he was last there with the Wooden Hut Club – his showbiz fraternity luncheon club.

Sandrea goes to a local Rochdale gym and it was her birthday, so to celebrate she and some friends decided to have lunch at the Royal Toby.

Famous comedian Jimmy – being his usual gregarious self! – not only went over to have a chat, but managed to get this snap of him and the birthday girl.

Warm welcome at the inn 150 150 mhamer

Warm welcome at the inn

Jimmy with Phil, owner of the Old Bell Inn in Delph, Saddleworth

Jimmy with Phil Whiteman, owner of the Old Bell Inn in Delph, Saddleworth

Jimmy Cricket visited the the Old Bell Inn in Delph, Saddleworth, after an invitation from the Director of the Francis House Children’s Hospice, David Ireland.

The occasion was a “thank-you” meal for the comedian’s efforts in a recent fundraiser for the Hospice, organised at the Coliseum Theatre in Oldham in October.

The show also featured the Krankies and the Swinging Blue Jeans. The total raised from the show was in the region of £6,000 for the charity.

One of the sponsors of the show was the Old Bell Inn which generously supplied a number of bedrooms for the visiting band members of the Swinging Blue Jeans as part of their sponsorship.

Jimmy spoke to the Swinging Blue Jeans after their stay at the inn and they said they were very impressed with the hospitality provided.

Phil and some friends attended the second performance of the show at the Oldham Coliseum and afterwards he mentioned that he had thoroughly enjoyed himself. He is a great supporter of Francis House and recently hosted a wine-tasting evening at the Old Bell Inn to also raise money for the charity.

Jimmy said he enjoyed his meal at the Old Bell Inn and readily recommends the restaurant to anyone passing through the Saddleworth area.