QUEEN OF MEAN LENDS SUPPORT TO CELEBRITY AUCTION

THE self-styled Queen of Mean Anne Robinson and flamboyant interior designer Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen lent their personal support to a Moore Allen & Innocent auction in aid of disadvantaged children on Sunday.

Both celebrities called in at the auction, part of the NSPCC’s country house car boot sale at Chedworth, near Cirencester, to lend their support.

Sharp-tongued Weakest Link host Anne Robinson showed her softer side not once, but twice. Not only did she donate a pair of spectacles to the silent auction, but she visited the auction in person.

Auctioneer Philip Allwood said: “Anne was kind enough to donate a pair of glasses that she wore for the filming of the American version of the Weakest Link and we were delighted when she called in to offer her support.

“She was very pleasant and not at all mean, but then she had no ‘weakest links’ to weed out: the sun was shining, there was a beer tent and live music and the event was in aid of a good cause – there were plenty of reasons to smile.”

Meanwhile, Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen, who agreed to perform the official opening of the event for the Cotswold branch of the children’s charity, donated a limited edition print of his work to be auctioned. He also donated a flamboyant white shirt, which he first signed at the Moore Allen stand.

The silent auction format meant that bidders were able to call at the Moore Allen & Innocent stand during the day and leave bids for items including David Cameron’s cycling helmet, Esther Rantzen’s jewellery, Formula 1 racing driver Lewis Hamilton’s baseball cap and Anthony Worrall Thompson’s chef’s whites.

And the absence of a rostrum and gavel gave auctioneers Philip Allwood and Chris Surfleet the opportunity to offer help and advice to the 150 ‘posh car-booters’ who had been invited by the NSPCC to set up stall at the event.

Items for sale ranged from designer clothes to antique furniture, but Philip was particularly taken by the stall of Don and Yvette Courtney from Chedworth, whose car boot itself was an antique: the couple had managed to pack their wares into a 1932 Lagonda vintage car!

“The posh car boot sale is an excellent idea,” said Mr Courtney. “It’s our first time here and we would certainly be tempted to come again. It’s a great day out in aid of a very worthy cause.”

The event was blessed with blue skies and sunshine – ironic considering that the recent downpours had flooded the event’s official home of Stowell Park near Northleach and the event was forced to higher ground at nearby Chedworth Airfield. 

The NSPCC hopes to raise £30,000 from the event. There is still a chance to win the celebrity lots by logging on to www.buyoncegivetwice.co.uk by Thursday, October 2 to place a bid.

Yvette and Don Courtney and their 1932 Lagonda vintage car with auctioneer Philip Allowood from Moore Allen & Innocent examining an early 20th century Dresden moonflask decorated in the 18th century Meissen manner. The piece had been priced – correctly, in Philip’s professional opinion –
at £30.