ONE hundred thousand thanks have gone from The Friends of The Grand to one of its busiest members.

John Buck joined the group 25 years ago and he and his fellow members have been concerned with saving Blackpool Grand Theatre for live entertainment and subsequently to raise enough money to purchase it.

For the past 14 years John has encouraged licensees of Blackpool clubs to hold charity nights on Sundays for the benefit of The Friends.

And this year John has reached the lofty landmark of £100,000.

John, a painter and decorator from Fleetwood, is the first to recognise the generosity of the various licensees in assisting with his fundraising.

He said: "The first event was held in Rumours in November 1985. They have continued to support us since, often arranging for celebrities such as Mike Lancaster and Les Dawson to appear on stage without any charge to us.

"A month later it was arranged with Basil Newby to hold a charity night at one of his clubs. Since then his company has supported us on a regular basis, raising more than £6,000 a year."

Chairman of The Friends George Thompson paid tribute to John's remarkable efforts. He said: "Within our organisation nobody has been more successful than John in raising money.

"The Friends raise about £50,000 a year, all of which is used to enhance patron comfort within the theatre. The money John has raised has been a significant proportion of this during the past 14 years." John was presented with a crystal bowl engraved with the words One Hundred Thousand Thankyous from The Friends of The Grand.

And John hopes more fundraising will follow. "Here's to the next £100,000," he said.

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