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Tuesday, 18 March 2014 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRESS RELEASE

BEST OF BRITISH 2014

SINGAPORE – The British Club Singapore will be presenting more than a week of celebrations under the banner “The Best of British”, commencing Friday 6 June to and including Saturday 14 June 2014. This major celebration is an annual affair and will be open to non-Members.

The celebrations will come in many forms, and we are delighted to announce that Pete Price , who provided us with much laughter from his hilarious brand of comedy last year, will be back this year as our Master of Ceremonies and is the face of the Best of British. Multi-award winning Mark Maier and one of the UK’S top stand up Mike Gunn together with Pete Price will be taking the reins in providing comic relief for 2014. We are also pleased to have celebrity Chef, Ed Baines , well known from the Britain’s Best Dish programme as our culinary expert. On the sporting front, we have the amazing legend, Jan Molby , gracing us this year. Adding to the glitz and glamour of the celebrations, designers to the stars, Philip Armstrong and Tony Burke , from luxury label Philip Armstrong will be showcasing a special collection to guests in partnership with Robinsons. British artists, Emma Rodgers and Horace Panter , with Icon Gallery, will partner us to showcase a range of ‘Best of British’ art.

The programme for the celebrations include: a. Wednesday, 4 June – Best of British Business by Kingsley Squire b. Opening Gala Dinner on Friday, 6 June, showcasing celebrity Chef Ed Baines c. Saturday, 7 June - An evening of British Art with Emma Rodgers and Horace Panter d. On Sunday, 8 June the Club would be open for all to find out more about the Club and enjoy the carnival festivities on Best of British Open House and Family Day e. For the ladies, we have Ladies Luncheon on Tuesday, 10 June, with a master class by Chef Ed Baines and a fashion show by Philip Armstrong and Tony Burke. f. And for the gentlemen, on Wednesday, 11 June, get up close and personal with Liverpool legend Jan Molby at the Gentlemen’s Black Tie Dinner Evening , compered. g. Thursday, 12 June – Court’s 40th Prize Bingo brought to you by Courts Singapore h. Start the weekend with the Best of British Comedy with 3 blockbuster performers, Mike Gunn, Pete Price, and Mark Maier at Best of British Comedy Night , Friday, 13 June i. Rounding up the celebrations, the Grand Finale & Show will be held at the five-star Pan Pacific Hotel with theme: RULE BRITANNIA on Saturday, 14 June

For more information, do contact: Shakila Samuel at 6410 1111 Gan Qianyu at 6410 1112

BEST OF BRITISH GRAND FINALE SHOW & DINNER, 14 JUNE 2014 FACTSHEET

Date Saturday, 14 June 2014 Time 7.00pm till late Venue The Pan-Pacific Singapore Beneficiaries Funds raised will benefit the Riding for the Disabled Association in Singapore and the Gurkha Welfare Trust in the UK Fundraising • Dinner Table at $2,500 each (early bird) or $2,800 Mechanisms • Outright donation Theme Rule Britannia About The Voted second best Club in Singapore by Expat Living readers, this 30-year old British Club Club is home to both expatriates and locals. As one of the fastest growing Club in Singapore, we have over 2,500 families as Members. 54% of our Members are British, 21% Singaporeans, and 25% other nationalities. Situated on one of the most attractive areas in central Singapore, it commands a beautiful view, making it Singapore’s Hilltop Retreat. About Riding Riding for the Disabled for the The Riding for the Disabled Association of Singapore (RDA) provides free, Disabled & the therapeutic horse riding lessons to children and adults all over Singapore. These Gurkha sessions can benefit virtually all disabilities, both physical and learning Welfare Trust disabilities, in children and adults.

Gurkha Welfare Trust The Gurkha Welfare Trust helps Gurkha ex-servicemen who served the British Crown, and their dependants, who are in poverty or distress. Today, some 7,475 veterans and widows rely on a welfare pension from the Trust of around £50 each month.

PETE PRICE COMPERE & MASTER OF CEREMONY

Date Friday, 6 June 2014 : Opening Gala Dinner Wednesday, 11 June 2014 : Gentlemen’s Black Tie Dinner Evening Saturday, 14 June 2014: Best of British Grand Finale & Show Venue 6 & 11 June : The British Club Singapore 14 June: The Pan-Pacific Singapore Profile Pete Price is a Welsh-born British media personality and radio presenter based in Merseyside, England. He is best known for the Sunday night talk radio show Pete Price: Unzipped: broadcast across sister stations City Talk 105.9 and 96.7. The show is aired live from 10pm to 2am and follows an open forum format. Price’s weeknight phone in, Late Night City airs live between 10pm and 2am, from Monday to Thursday and is simulcast on City Talk 105.9 and Radio City 96.7.

He is also a comedian, author, patron for Claire House Children’s Hospice and columnist for Liverpool Echo. He became a DJ for BBC Radio Merseyside at the age of twenty-one. Shortly after, Price made his first appearance on the comedy scene at Liverpool’s ‘The Shakespeare’, working at various venues which include The Palladium and the QE2. In the 1980s, he became a presenter on his former station’s rival, 194 Radio City, and has remained so in its various incarnations since. He continues to star in pantomimes in Liverpool and Merseyside, as well as working for national newspapers including and .

So pleased he was with the celebrations when he was the Emcee and comedian for the celebrations in 2013, he has enthusiastically accepted British Club’s invitation to be back this year as Compere for the 6 June’s Gentlemen’s Black Tie Dinner Evening and Master of Ceremony for the Opening Gala Dinner on 6 June and the Grand Finale Show on 14 June.

CHEF ED BAINES, CHEF & CO-OWNER RANDALL & AUBIN JUDGE ON ITV’S BRITAIN’S BEST DISH

Date Friday, 6 June 2014 : Opening Gala Dinner Tuesday, 10 June 2014 : Ladies Luncheon & Cooking Demonstration Venue 6 & 10 June : The British Club Singapore Profile Ed credits his mother’s interest in cooking as one of his biggest influences and his passion for food stems from childhood trips to the Mediterranean and sampling the broad range of fresh produce in where he was raised. The early part of Ed’s career was spent looking for the toughest challenges and best training, taking him from a two year apprenticeship with Anton Mosimann at The Dorchester Park Lane, to cooking on exclusive yachts in Monaco and at hotels in Juan-les-Pins and Queensland, then to Bibendum and the River Café in London, then to Milan and Tuscany. After this rigorous experience he was in good shape to meet the challenge of setting up and running the kitchen at Daphne's in Kensington where he used the continental philosophy of only the best seasonal ingredients and a delicate approach to all things food. With Ed’s passionate leadership and a dedicated team, Daphne’s became one of London’s most successful restaurants throughout the 90's. In 1996, along with his friend and business partner Jamie Poulton, Ed opened Randall & Aubin Soho. The restaurant remains a huge success and they have since launched a thriving events and delivery service, R&A Catering.

Ed appears regularly on TV and is best known for his role as a judge on ITV's hugely successful Britain’s Best Dish with six series between 2007 and 2011 and viewing figures in excess of 2 million. His other programmes include: Lunch with Ed Baines and ITV’s Ed Baines Entertains. More recently Ed has appeared on What’s Cooking? (), The Alan Titchmarsh Show, Country House Sunday (ITV1), Chefs: Put You’re your Menu Where Your Mouth Is (BBC1), and Country Show Cook Off, a new primetime series for BBC 2.

Ed will be displaying his exquisite culinary skills at the Opening Gala Dinner and a cooking demonstration for the Ladies Luncheon at the British Club Singapore.

FASHION DESIGNERS PHILIP ARMSTRONG & TONY BURKE PHILIP ARMSTRONG

Date Tuesday, 10 June 2014 : Ladies Luncheon & Cooking Demonstration Saturday, 14 June 2014: Finale & Gala Dinner at the Pan Pacific Singapore Venue 10 June : The British Club Singapore 14 June : The Pan Pacific Singapore Profile Philip Armstrong and Tony Burke are the designers behind the label Philip Armstrong (PA). The pair met while studying fashion design and is now based in Liverpool. Their joint passion for Fashion and Design proved to be a formidable combination and after five years of experience in the industry, Philip and Tony collaborated on their first collection. Their unique style with a cutting edge focus on cut and detail was very well received and the Philip Armstrong was born to high acclaim from the fashion press. The brand has established itself as a favourite with some of the UK and USA’s most desirable celebrity and A-list elite including the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez, Helen Hunt, and Nicole Scherzinger to name a few.

Philip Armstrong has established itself as one of the UK’s most highly sought after fashion labels, which has led to a great demand with some of the country’s biggest retail stores wanting to stock the label.

Guests attending the Ladies Luncheon at the British Club and Finale Dinner at the Pan Pacific Singapore would be treated to a visual feast of their special collection created for the Best of British 2014!

ICON GALLERY ARTIST HORACE PANTER

Date Saturday, 7 June 2014 : Night of British Art & Music Venue The British Club Singapore Profile Singapore-based Icon Gallery is the sole representative for five British artists in Asia – Paul Oz, Nikki Douthwaite, Colin Brown, Tim Wakefield and Horace Panter - and these artists will be showcasing a new selection of works exclusively on the night to celebrate a variety of unique British music and icon inspired art.

On Saturday 7th June, the gallery will present an evening of British art at the Club. Horace Panter, artist and bass player with the legendary British SKA band ‘The Specials’ will be in attendance to introduce his new artworks. ‘The Specials’ were part of the ‘Best of British’ line up, along with Blur, of the bands performing at the 2012 Olympics Closing Celebration concert in Hyde Park.

Horace’s first solo exhibition was in 2009 at London’s Strand Gallery and he has since exhibited throughout the UK. He has also worked on collaborations with a number of companies, including Fred Perry, Club Wembley, Sheaffer Inc., Teenage Cancer Trust, Amy Winehouse Foundation, Screaming Records DK and Stone

Foundation (the latter two involved designing record labels and album covers).

EMMA RODGERS SCULPTOR

Date Saturday, 7 June 2014 : Night of British Art & Music Venue The British Club Singapore Profile Emma Rodgers is a recognised British ceramic sculptor. She is a 1998 graduate from Wolverhampton University with B.A. and M.A. Ceramics.

Upon graduation, she has exhibited world wide, including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Lineart –Ghent , Cork Street, Royal Academy of Art, S.O.F.A. Chicago and most recently the William Zimmer Gallery U.S.A.

She has also been featured in a documentary dedicated to her work on the Artworld Channel. National Museums and Galleries have purchased Rodgers work as part of their collection. She has received acclaim for her energy and dynamic approach to her work.

She continually pushes the boundaries of ideas and materials to maintain a fresh approach to her work.

We are pleased to showcase her work as part of The Best of British 2014.

JAN MOLBY LIVERPOOL LEGEND

Date Wednesday, 11 June 2014 : Gentlemen’s evening: Up close and personal with Jan Molby Venue The British Club Singapore, only 100 seats available. Profile Legendary Liverpool FC player from 1984 to 1996, Jan Molby holds the record for the most penalty kicks in Anfield history.

33 caps for this former Danish International who joined Liverpool from 1984 to 1995 and became the first foreigner to spend a decade with an English Club, Jan also played for Ajax, Barnsley and Norwich City and was the player manager for City and enjoyed a brief spell as manager for Hull FC.

Now a regular football pundit for Radio5 Live and TV commentator for Danish TV3 Jan is also a mean Poker player and regularly plays in professional events.

MARK MAIER COMEDIAN

Date Friday, 13 June 2014 : Best of British Comedy Night Venue The British Club Singapore Profile Mark Maier (right), multi award winning writer and comedian is a highly sought after performer on both the national and international comedy circuits.

He has toured all around the world including Germany, Holland, Ireland, Hong Kong, Bahamas, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand – and has also appeared at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles and Caroline’s in New York.

In demand for voice over work, his voice has appeared on almost everything from South Park to Burger King commercials.

A master of ad lib and improvisation, he founded the critically acclaimed group MadLib.

Along with comedian Mike Gunn, Mark will be entertaining guests with his hilarious brand of humour during the Best of British Comedy Night on 13 June, Friday.

MIKE GUNN COMEDIAN

Date Friday, 13 June 2014 : Best of British Comedy Night Venue The British Club Singapore Profile From supporting the likes of Jo Brand and earlier in his career, Mike Gunn now headlines at all the top comedy venues in the UK and is reaching cult status on the circuit.

In huge demand, he has performed internationally in countries including Hong Kong, Ireland, Holland, Germany, Switzerland, New Zealand, and in Australia where he performed to a five- week sell-out season at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

He has appeared on television shows such as BBC1’s Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, ITV’s Harry Hill’s TV Burp, Comedy Central’s The Comedy Store, CH5’s Live at Jongleurs, and CH4’s The Gas.

Along with comedian Mark Maier, Mike will be entertaining guests with his hilarious brand of humour during the Best of British Comedy Night on 13 June, Friday.

Event Secretariat The British Club Singapore 73 Bukit Tinggi Road Singapore 289761 Tel: 6467 4311 Email: [email protected] Contact: Siti Norani

THE LAUNCH OF THE BEST OF BRITISH 2014 AT THE BRITISH CLUB ON TUESDAY, 18 MARCH 2014

First row (from left): BC Bear, Stamford American International School’s Megan Reed, Mediacorp’s Cindy Yeo, Royal Plaza on Scotts’ Patrick Fiat, Expat Living’s Rebecca Bisset, The Body Shop’s Paula Bedford, Jones Lang LaSalle’s Doris Tan, Cognita’s Zoe Marmot, and BC’s Town Crier Tony Melero

Second row (from left): The Fry Group’s David Pugh, Tourist TV’s Steven Hopkinson, Resorts World Sentosa Singapore’s Noel Hawkes, Nicholas Cordeiro, Starhub’s Fred Yao, The British Club’s General Manager Sean Boyle, Courts Singapore’s Tim Nolan, and British Airways’ Robert Williams

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