The Royal Variety Charity is honoured to have Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as its sole Patron.
For a list of our previous Patrons and details of the Royal Variety's links with Royal Patronage since 1921, please click here.
For up to date news and information on the British Monarchy, please visit the official website at: http://www.royal.gov.uk/
Welcome to the Royal Variety Charity & Royal Variety Performance official site.
It's a real privilege to lead this very special and historic British institution; our staff and unpaid volunteers work tirelessly to help those in need throughout the entertainment industry, both in our care home in Twickenham and indeed all across the UK - they are all truly inspirational people to work with.
I'd like to thank the Members of our Executive Committee, including their elected Officers and Trustees for giving up their valuable time throughout each year and for working so hard for those in need within the entertainment industry.
I'd particularly like to highlight from our Royal Variety Events team, Katie Boland, Victoria Bond, Peter Hinton and Kirsty Bristow, who help me organise our main annual fundraiser; the Royal Variety Performance.
The Royal Variety Charity has constantly evolved, but has always existed as the entertainment industry 'looking after its own' and this would never have been possible without the unwavering support of continuing generations of our Royal Family. I'd therefore particularly like to thank Her Majesty The Queen for her continued support as the sole Patron of our charity, TRH The Prince of Wales & Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and The Duke & Duchess of Sussex for attending our annual fundraiser, the Royal Variety Performance. Their attendance supports British show business as a whole and demonstrates how close an affection the Royal Family has for our entire entertainment industry.
The Royal Variety Performance has in recent years gone from strength to strength, consistently attracting the biggest stars from all over the world. Our social media channels such as Facebook are testament to the Royal Variety Show's massive resurgence in popularity, demonstrating the huge appetite that clearly exists in the UK and around the world for this annual, Great British Institution.
The Royal Variety Performance was first staged in London in 1912 to an audience of just 1,300 but in 2018 was broadcast in 63 countries and viewed by a combined television audience of over 152 million - making it the longest running and most successful show in the world.
Lastly, thank you to you, for your interest and support of the Royal Variety Charity. Please donate or buy a ticket if you are able and please get involved in our many fundraising ventures whenever you can. Thank you!
Laurie Mansfield holds an honorary role (unelected) with the charity but assists Chairman Giles Cooper with the organisation of the annual Royal Variety Performance.
He is best known as a theatrical agent, famously representing comics such as Jim Davidson and Freddie Starr.
He started as a record store salesman for CBS in 1969 and then entered the agency business working for International Artistes in the early seventies.
In April 2010 he formed a new company with his son Peter, called Laurie Mansfield Associates, presenting a combination of both theatrical production and talent representation.
(The Management Body of the Royal Variety Charity is made up of unpaid volunteers all of whom work, or have worked professionally in the entertainment industry)
Elected Management Body (voluntary)
Chairman - Giles Cooper • Vice Chairman - Phil Dale • Treasurer - Ian Freeman
The Executive Committee: Kay Carman, Pat Church, Phil Dale, Daniel Dean, Ian Freeman, Paul Ganjou, Cheryl Garland, Valerie Garland, Fawn James, Martin Jones, John Logan, Vicki Michelle MBE, Spencer Phillips, Babs Powell, Robert Powell, Rev. Canon Roger Royle, Keith Simmons, The Dowager Lady Westbury CBE. JP.
Trustees (elected): Giles Cooper (Chair), Laurie Mansfield, Phil Dale, Ian Freeman
Honorary Members (bestowed)
Hon. Life-President - Laurie Mansfield • Hon. Vice-Presidents: Roger De Courcey, Robert Earl Jnr, Stuart Littlewood, Joe Pasquale, Nick Thomas MBE, Bradley Walsh
Life Governors (honorary): Lord Michael Grade CBE, The Dowager Lady Westbury CBE. JP
Hon. Chaplain: Rev. Canon Roger Royle
Brinsworth House and Royal Variety Charity Staff (employed)
Finance Director – Martin Dalby, Matron of Brinsworth House – Tatree Preece RN, ONC, BA (HONS) MA, Administrator – Kirsty Bristow, Operations Manager – Peter Hinton, Head of PR - David Pogson LVO, Grants Officer – Kaushika Amin, Events Co-Ordinator – Susan Cooper, Events Officer – Victoria Bond, Finance Officer – Myra Harte, Brinsworth House Staff: Clinical Lead - Suhasini Raja, Catering Manager – Henry Sheerin, Head Chef - Stuart Jones, Maintenance Manager – Joe Williams, Activities Co-Ordinator - Angelica Lundekesi, Sue Amory, Alina Gurung, Anita Gasu, Anni George, Ariel Madronio, Caesalia B Fernandes, Carolyn Cole, Cecilia Marston, Dorothy Atkins, Dudi Dollani, Ecaterina Duda, Winnie Ellis, Emese Juhas'z, Emilinda Canlas, Estha Idahosa, Flona Brown, Geena Martin, Gemma Bishop, Sruthi John, Golda John, Hawabai Hashim, Marie Helene, Karuna Kandel, Kate Geoffrey, Kathleen Howden, Kelly McCarthy Gale, Stephen Moriarty, Khamar Hussein, Malar Kavya, Mark Lester, Mary Walsh, Michele Dasseville, Millie McLeod, Mo Atia, Mohinder Panesar, Patricia Smith, Pedro Barretto, Ray Warren, Remelda James, Sheila Forde.
Treasurer (elected)
As the elected Treasurer it is my duty and obligation to consider where we stand financially and to report the situation to our Executive Committee and the relevant authorities honestly and transparently.
The work of Chairman Giles Cooper really has revolutionised this charity over the past ten years and his efforts have transformed our financial stability, governance and operations. I salute his leadership and am proud of the hard work of all of us who have assisted him in modernising this wonderful 111 year-old charity.
The Royal Variety Charity’s award-winning residential home, Brinsworth House, continues to provide the highest standard of care for many former showbusiness professionals. On behalf of our residents and all our other beneficiaries, as well as all the officers of the Charity, may I offer our grateful thanks for your continued support. Given the challenges continuing to confront the charity sector, we face a constant struggle to raise sufficient funds to maintain the levels of care and guardianship for which we are renowned and we thank you respectfully and profoundly.
May I also thank our finance team of Martin Dalby (Finance Director), and Myra Harte (Finance Assistant), for their exceptional hard work.
Please help us to maintain our invaluable work by donating whatever you can, no matter how small, through our website. We will, in return, promise to work diligently and conscientiously to guarantee a happy and comforting future for those who have brought us so much joy and laughter for so many years.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE (ELECTED)
(in alphabetical order)
KAY CARMAN
PAT CHURCH
GILES COOPER
PHIL DALE
DANIEL DEAN
IAN FREEMAN
PAUL GANJOU
CHERYL GARLAND
VALERIE GARLAND
FAWN JAMES
MARTIN JONES
JOHN LOGAN
VICKI MICHELLE MBE
SPENCER PHILLIPS
BABS POWELL
ROBERT POWELL
REV CANON ROGER ROYLE
KEITH SIMMONS
LADY WESTBURY CBE
OFFICERS (ELECTED)
TRUSTEES (ELECTED)
LIFE GOVERNORS (HONORARY)
THE DOWAGER LADY WESTBURY CBE JP
LORD MICHAEL GRADE CBE
VICE PRESIDENTS (HONORARY)
ROGER DE COURCEY
ROBERT EARL JNR
PETER JAY
STUART LITTLEWOOD
JOE PASQUALE
NICK THOMAS MBE
BRADLEY WALSH
BRINSWORTH HOUSE - SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM (EMPLOYED)
FINANCE DIRECTOR: MARTIN DALBY
MATRON: TATREE PREECE RN, ONC, BA(HONS), MA
ADMINISTRATOR: KIRSTY BRISTOW
RVC OPERATIONS MANAGER: PETER HINTON
RVC ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF (EMPLOYED)
DAVID POGSON LVO - HEAD OF PR
KAUSHIKA AMIN - GRANTS OFFICER
SUSAN COOPER - EVENTS CO-ORDINATOR
VICTORIA BOND - EVENTS OFFICER
MYRA HARTE - ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT