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Furness Charity Challenge Final

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Showstopping Performances in Furness Charity Challenge Final

January 22 2012

The Furness Charity Challenge produced a sensational final show at the Lancaster Grand Theatre on Saturday with more than £3,000 handed out in prizes to the finalists from across the North West competing on behalf of charities.

The competition was organised by Furness Building Society to spotlight the work of local charities and encourage people to get involved.  The impressive quality of all the finalists presented a tough job to the judges led by Furness Chief Executive Nigel Quinton, but they finally chose 3 winners to receive the top awards. 

In first place was  17 years old Kingsley Judd, from Penwortham near Preston who delivered a show-stopping version of ‘Stars’ from West End hit show ‘Les Miserables’.  He collected a cheque for £1,000 to split between two charities; Headway, the UK brain injuries charity, and Twinkle House a charity that provides sensory-based practical support to children and young people in Lancashire.

In second place was Emily Adams who wowed the audience with her powerhouse delivery of the Nina Simone classic ‘Feeling Good’.  Emily, aged 16, was presented with a cheque for £750 for the Trinity Hospice in Blackpool.

In third place was the Revelation gymnastics and dance group which is part of City of Lancaster Gymnastics.  The team of 14 girls aged between 8 and 20 delighted the packed theatre with dance routines, daring lifts and acrobatics high in the air.  They received a cheque for £500 for their nominated charity – Daisy UK a charity supporting Disability Awareness in Sport. 

Furness Building Society Chief Executive Nigel Quinton commented: “It was a fantastic show and the standard of all the performances was amazingly high.  It is wonderful that so many talented people are willing to stand up and do something for their chosen charity – but it certainly made our job as judges very difficult.”

His views were echoed by Bay Radio presenter Darren Milby, another of the five judges:  “I helped judge the competition last year and the quality just keeps getting better.  There were some terrific performances tonight and any of them would have made a worthy winner.”

None of the performers went away empty handed, however, because a place in the final automatically qualified them for a £100 payment to their chosen charity.

Other standout talent on show in the final included Barrow finalists Megan Doherty, Jessie Conway, and Olivia Lumb.

Megan aged 13, from Almond Walk, Barrow and was singing on behalf of Multiple Sclerosis Society.   She performed a stunning acoustic version of the Bruno Mars hit song ‘Grenade’.

Jessie aged 25, of Bank Spring Brewery, Kirkstanton, was representing the British Heart Foundation and captivated the theatre with a beautiful rendition of ‘Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again’ from ‘Phantom of the Opera’.

Olivia, aged 17, from Lancewood Crescent, Barrow-in-Furness performed an atmospheric acoustic version of the Bob Marley classic ‘Redemption Song’.  She was singing on behalf of Animal Refuge Furness

The judges also had special praise for consultant oncologist Alison Birtle who took to the Charity Challenge stage at the last minute on behalf of Rosemere Cancer Foundation, after Barrow primary school teacher Katherine Smith had to pull out due to illness.  Katherine was due to perform on behalf of the Alice Pyne Bone Marrow Donor appeal.  Alison enchanted the audience with ‘Someone Like You’ from the hit musical Jekyll and Hyde on behalf of Rosemere which provides support for cancer services in South Lakes and Lancashire. 

Another finalist who had to cancel on the very day of the show due to ill health was Heather Crozier who was due to appear for the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Appeal.

But there was still plenty of talent for the audience to cheer.

Tom Seals from Crewe in Cheshire, aged 18, performing on behalf of Jayde’s Charity, sang Michael Buble’s ‘Home’ and then rocked the theatre with an impromptu rendition of ‘You Ain’t Nothin’ But A Hound Dog’

Josh Taylor from Bolton, aged 13, was performing on behalf of the campaign to save Bolton Theatre Church, and sang the New Dimension hit ‘What Makes You Beautiful’.

Hannah Jowle, aged 15, from Blackpool gave a breathtaking "Pie Jesu" from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Requiem Mass.  She was singing on behalf of Lancashire Boys and Girls Clubs.

Finally, the Baines School Ukulele Orchestra provided a rousing tongue-in-cheek version of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’, performing to raise money for Baines School in Blackpool.

And a special guest who entertained the audience while the judges made their deliberations was Amy Jo Clough, the winner of last year’s final representing the Ryan Stanford Appeal.  Amy dedicated her performance this year to Ryan, and also paid special tribute to Ian Bell, General Manager Marketing and Development for the Furness who originally conceived the Charity Challenge, but who tragically died last year just as the new competition was about to start