Ecclestone gets into gear at Norwood’s Business Breakfast
Bernie Ecclestone, one of the most successful businessmen in the world, was the very special guest speaker at Norwood’s Business Breakfast, held at Claridge’s on Friday 1 February 2008. More than 240 guests, including legendary driver Sir Stirling Moss OBE, came to hear the man who transformed the fortunes of Formula One in conversation with TV presenter, Tania Bryer. The event, sponsored by Investec Private Bank, raised more than £114,000 for the UK’s leading Jewish charity supporting children and families living with disability or coping with social difficulties.
Ecclestone once again called for Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix, to improve its facilities to bring it up to the standard of state of the art tracks around the world. He said that most Grand Prix are supported financially by their national governments and that the same needed to happen in the UK. “If the government put into Formula One just 0.1 per cent of what they have wasted on the Olympics, then we’d get what we want.”
He spoke about his early years in the motor racing industry and how his most important achievement had been to take control of Formula One TV rights and ensure that each national broadcaster showed coverage of every race in the calendar: “In the past the TV stations just showed the races they wanted to. We came in, organised the TV, told the broadcasters that they must carry every race and that the host country would produce a global signal and suddenly we got enormous audiences.”
Speaking after the event, he said: “I very much enjoyed the Business Breakfast and appreciated the opportunity to learn in more detail about the vital work Norwood carries out with children and families in the community. I was delighted to be able to give my support to Norwood and hope my presence this morning helps them continue to deliver these essential services."
Lisa Coffer, Norwood’s Events and Fundraising Manager, said: “I would like to thank Bernie and Tania for helping to make this the most successful Business Breakfast ever. Thanks once again to Investec Private Bank for sponsoring the event. The money raised will go towards providing vital services for children and families in our community.”
Once guests had sat down to breakfast, they were shown an appeal film highlighting Norwood’s work. This was followed by an auction featuring an exclusive prize donated by Bernie Ecclestone – two three-day paddock passes for any Grand Prix excluding Monaco, including full hospitality and a chance to meet the drivers – which raised £26,000. A raffle, for which the prize was a meal for up to 10 at the luxurious Avenue restaurant in Piccadilly, raised a further £3,000.
For more information please contact the Public Relations Manager at Norwood on 020 8420 6900 or email pressoffice@norwood.org.uk
