RICK WAKEMAN'S CHARITY GOLF DAY

Rick Wakeman really is a nice bloke. Until I started compiling the Gonzo Daily back in March I had no idea how much charity work he does. I do my best to highlight it whenever I can because in this increasingly dog eat dog world, I think that it is important to put in more than you take out, and Rick certainly does that. Good on 'im, I say.

Stars of stage, screen and sport turned out in force to help raise £26,000 during Rick Wakeman’s annual charity day at Burhill Golf Club in aid of Sparks.

It was the 17th successive year the former Yes keyboard player has staged his fundraising day at Burhill raising valuable funds for Sparks, a charity committed to helping pioneer research projects across a wide spectrum of medical conditions, including childhood cancers, cerebral palsy, premature birth and spina bifida.

Celebrities taking part in this year’s event included Simply Red lead singer Mick Hucknall, Olympian Kris Akabusi, former snooker player Willie Thorne and ex-England and Manchester United winger Steve Coppell.

In total 25 teams of four took to the venue’s famous Old Course but it was the Proflex team led by Hucknall and including George Collatcott, Ray Savory and Mark Green who topped the leaderboard.