LIFE is full of surprises.
So sang Cilla Black in the theme tune to her ratings topping show Surprise! Surprise!
And I’m sure Scouse songbird Cilla would have agreed with Google’s AI analysis of the phrase:
“It highlights life’s inherent unpredictability, where unexpected events can be both delightful and challenging, requiring us to be flexible and resilient”.
I can assure you that’s the last time AI makes an appearance in this blog.
Why do you need artificial intelligence when you have got the real thing here already, dusted with a sprinkling of sparkling wit, wisdom and charm?
Well don’t take a vote on it.
Actually I wasn’t a huge fan of Surprise! Surprise!
I was watching Terry and June on the other side.
But I do agree with our Cilla that often: “Surprise, surprise, the unexpected hits you between the eyes.”
Some call it spooky, some call it fate, others say life is full of coincidences and often we just sum all these up by quoting the idiom ‘it’s a small world’.
That’s certainly how I felt when I was asked to compere the Leeds Children’s Hospital Charity Ball last Saturday.
The invitation came as a result of a lunch I organised earlier this year to celebrate the life of legendary Leeds lawyer Rodney Dalton.
Rodney had received incredible care in the cancer ward at St James’s University Hospital in Leeds during his final weeks and his wife Helen and daughter Claudia and son Henry were keen for the money raised from the lunch to be donated to Leeds Hospitals Charity.
Paula Guanaria and Gail Chapman from the charity came along to the lunch at Aspire in Leeds and later asked me if I would compere the charity’s annual ball in Harrogate in September.
Earlier in the summer I headed over to The Pavilions in Harrogate to meet the committee organising the event.
I introduced myself and explained that the reason I was there was because of the event I had organised in memory of Rodney Dalton.
“My husband knew Rodney Dalton through business and his brother was my first boyfriend!” exclaimed the chair of the ball committee, Barbara Rider.
When one of her colleagues Pippa told me that the raffle prize was a diamond pendant and matching earrings donated by Craven Jewellers in Yeadon, I was able to point to my wedding ring and say: “They made this!”
They also made a very nice lariat necklace for my wife last Christmas.
I can’t claim much credit for it given that she designed it but I did pay for it so I often point out to people: “I gave her that.”
My thoughtfulness knows no bounds.
And when the ball committee said that TheBusinessDesk.com was supporting the ball as a media partner I told them that I had founded the company now being very ably run by my old colleague and friend Lee-J Walker.
We agreed that all of these coincidental circumstances meant I was indeed the right person to be master of ceremonies.
Well, they said that…and I nodded enthusiastically in response.
Fast forward to last Saturday evening and I donned my purple velvet dinner jacket crafted by tailor James Michelsberg.
The fact that the principal colour used by Leeds Hospitals Charity is purple was another piece of good fortune.
Goodness knows what I’m going to wear when the next charity ball I compere has a chartreuse colour scheme.
More than 200 guests attended the ball and there was a buzzy atmosphere in the room when I took to the stage.
For “buzzy” read: it took me a while to get their attention.
But when I did they were a great audience who were attentive, generous, fun and lively – the perfect combination for a charity event.
I did my version of the traditional ‘heads and tails’ game – asking interesting and unusual true and false questions rather than simply tossing a coin.
I was sitting next to Leeds Hospitals Charity chief executive Esther Wakeman and celebrity auctioneer Ben Shires.
Ben is a TV presenter but I hadn’t seen any of his work.
That’s probably a good thing because he principally presents children’s television programmes such as Guinness World Record-themed children’s show Officially Amazing, Match of the Day Kickabout on CBBC and Dig Detectives on Sky Kids.
He is also a big Leeds United supporter and president of the LUFC Future Trust.
In small talk before the ball began I mentioned he must have been disappointed by Leeds’ stoppage time own-goal loss to Fulham that afternoon.
Now I’ll take one for the team and make an effort to talk to anyone about Leeds United, but I did regret it when 10 minutes later Ben was telling me about the intricacies and frustrations of the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules.
Ben was a great auctioneer, squeezing the most out of the bidding for each of the lots, which included an exclusive tour of the Aston Martin Formula 1 team technology campus in Silverstone and a luxury wellness holiday in Crete.
He is a fan of vintage clothing and you couldn’t miss him at the event given he came dressed in a 1920s boating outfit.
The evening went really well but there was one hiccup.
When Malcolm Sparkes of Craven Jewellers drew the winning raffle tickets someone claimed the diamond pendant and earrings with the right number but the wrong colour ticket.
As the lady was being presented with her prize a commotion started on a table on the other side of the room.
“She’s got the right ticket, she’s the winner,” shouted people around the table pointing at one of their fellow guests.
One large gentleman with a crewcut and walrus moustache who reminded me of Aussie cricketer Merv Hughes in his prime, was standing and angrily pointing at me like I had robbed him of his life savings.
“I’m concerned that that gentleman is going to invade the stage, sir, if you calm down we will conduct a steward’s enquiry and check the ticket details,” I said.
It was quickly established that the original lady who thought she had won the jewellery had heard the winning number of the ticket announced but hadn’t heard that it was a yellow ticket rather than a blue one.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I want to assure you that all of this was planned to add further excitement to your evening,” I told the audience.
“And of course I was able to deal with it because I thrive on adrenaline,” I lied.
“I’m sure the lady that thought she had won will be welcomed into Craven Jewellers in Yeadon next week by Malcolm and his colleagues and will be offered a very good deal on anything she would like to purchase…” I added, glancing over at Malcolm, who nodded, looking relieved.
Guests heard on the evening from Lisa Beaumont, the therapeutic and specialised play manager at Leeds Children’s Hospital about how the money raised from the ball would support the work of her and her colleagues.
She explained how play is used not just to educate and entertain children undergoing treatment at the hospital but also to encourage them during their recovery.
Mum Emma McDonald, whose son Freddie was successfully treated at Leeds Children’s Hospital, explained how the work of the charity had helped him.
Freddie and his family have become big fundraisers for the charity and last year he was honoured with the Rob Burrow-inspired Dare to Dream Award at the Yorkshire Children of Courage Awards.
The ball was a hugely successful evening which I enjoyed playing a small part in.
Gail Chapman from Leeds Hospitals’ Charity dropped me a note this week about the money raised.
“We’re still waiting on the final fundraising total, but it’s looking like we’ve raised over £20,000, which is absolutely fantastic. That kind of support will go a long way in helping the children and families at the hospital.”
She kindly gave me some really positive feedback too: “I just wanted to say a heartfelt thank you for all your help and support. It was such a pleasure to have you involved, and I’ve already had some lovely feedback from guests who really enjoyed the evening.
“Your variation on Heads and Tails was brilliant – it really helped set the tone and got everyone in the mood to have fun. It made a real difference to the energy in the room!
“Thanks again, David. Your contribution truly helped make the night special.”
If they are happy then I’m happy.
As I left the stage at the end of the formal part of the evening having introduced an ABBA tribute band and thanked the audience for “taking a chance on me” (did you see what I did there? OK, please yourselves…), ball committee chair Barbara Rider came up to me.
“You know we keep finding coincidences David? Well there is someone I’d like you to meet on my table.”
I walked over to Barbara’s table where she introduced me to her son Tim and his wife Debbie and their daughter and son.
They used to live in the house where my wife and I now live.
What a small world.
Call it serendipity, call it what you will.
Boxer Rocky Graziano called his autobiography Somebody Up There Likes Me.
I’m not claiming that but perhaps, just perhaps Rodney Dalton, who did so much for me in life, is still lending a helping hand.
:::
THE Leeds Digital Festival is now in full swing and I’ll be hosting a panel discussion during its final week on behalf of PEXA.
You may not yet have heard of PEXA, which stands for Property Exchange Australia, but you are going to know a lot more about it in the future and if you buy or sell property, it is going to make your life an awful lot easier.
The company, which is quoted on the Australian Stock Exchange, has created a digital platform for completing property transactions which is used for 95% of house sales and purchases Down Under.
It is now aiming to bring its skills and technology to streamline the clunky and frustrating UK homebuying and remortgaging experience.
It connects conveyancers, lawyers, and lenders to deliver online property sales and remortgages by digitally preparing, lodging, and settling property dealings, and exchanging funds.
Anyone who has bought or sold a house will have a negative story about the experience, whether that is uncommunicative conveyancing lawyers, breakdowns in house sale chains or simply being unsure of when to book your removal firm because you can’t be certain of when your house sale or purchase will actually happen.
PEXA received FCA approval in April and has been working with the Bank of England and major banks to set up its systems in the UK.
My connection with PEXA is thanks to its recently retired CEO Glenn King.
Glenn became a great contact and good friend during his time at Yorkshire Bank when it was owned by National Australia Bank.
His former Yorkshire and Clydesdale Bank colleague Simon Wright is chief operating officer of PEXA UK and they have recruited the vastly experienced Sir Roger Marsh OBE as an ambassador and board advisor.
Sir Roger’s CV includes roles as chairman of PwC in the North, three years on secondment in government at the highest level of the Cabinet Office and chair of the Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) responsible for bringing plenty of inward investment into the region, including Channel 4.
Simon and Sir Roger will be sitting on a panel alongside Mandy Ridyard, business advisor to the Mayor of West Yorkshire; Julian Wells of Whitecap Consulting and Helen Oldham of Lifted Ventures where we will discuss the opportunities that Leeds offers in the finance and tech sectors.
Given PEXA has chosen to make Leeds its UK base and acquired the 300-person conveyancing firm Optima Legal, I’m looking forward to asking Simon and Sir Roger about the firm’s ambitions for the UK and beyond, given these markets are so much bigger than its home market in Australia.
PEXA’s arrival in Leeds is a huge boost and vote of confidence in the city but I’m keen to explore what our expert panel sees as the future opportunities and challenges.
The panel discussion is being held on Wednesday, October 1 between 2pm and 4pm at the Work Café Santander, 10 Park Row, Leeds, LS1 5HD.
If you would like to join us please register through the link below.
https://pexa.co.uk/leeds-digital-panel-where-leeds-leads/#
Have a great weekend.