WHO’S WHO
President: Dennis Heymer
Chairman: Chris Byrne
Vice-chairman: Jane Lincoln
Secretary: Nigel Lincoln
Vice-secretary: Lillian Aris
Treasurer: Phil Davies
Vice-treasurer: Bessie Nuttycombe
GETTING ON FAMOUSLY
Actor Sir Ian McKellen, pictured with Dennis Heymer during his visit to Wavering Down House
AVENUE OF STARS
Veteran entertainer Ken Dodd was tickled pink when his old friend Frankie was awarded a place on the Avenue of Stars
LASTING IMPRESSION
Actor and impressionist Bobby Davro is well-impressed by Frankie’s legendary star quality
OOH ER, MISSUS
Frankie would have relished a date on Loose Women with TV presenter Coleen Nolan
IT’S A CRACKER
Comedian Frank Carson still laughs at the way Frankie used to tell ’em
CARRY ON KATE
Interviewing Frankie would have been a right Carry On for TV presenter Kate Thornton
THE X-FACTOR
Frankie had the X-Factor – just like singer Jonathan Ansell from talent show group G4
NO ... LISSUN!
Chat show host Vanessa Feltz would have been left speechless by Frankie’s showbiz gossip!
ONE IN A MILLION
‘Millionaire’ presenter Chris Tarrant didn’t need to phone a friend to know that Frankie was a star
ABOUT THE TRUST
The Frankie Howerd OBE Trust was set up in 2008 to support good causes in memory of one of Britain’s greatest comedians.
Our aim is to honour his life and work by helping deserving groups and individuals with special projects or simply to carry on their day-to-day activities.
The Trust (Registered Charity No. 1122850) is based at Wavering Down House near Cheddar, Somerset, UK, which was Frankie’s much-loved home for many years.
Its president is Frankie’s lifelong manager and partner, Dennis Heymer (pictured above), who still lives at the house and has been a great supporter of many charities over the years.
With the help of his carer, Chris Byrne, he has already raised more than £75,000 by holding large charity events and garden open days at Wavering Down House.
Over the last four years, thousands of people have visited the house and gardens, which have remained virtually untouched since Frankie died of a heart attack in 1992.
Charities that have already benefited from such events include:
Children’s Hospice South West
Weston Hospicecare
St John Ambulance
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance
National Gardens Scheme
Local schools
MS Therapy Centre
SWORD fund for war veterans
NSPCC
The Frankie Howerd OBE Trust aims to continue to help those in need by collecting, administering and distributing money raised in the following ways:
a) Fundraising activities organised by individuals and groups
b) Donations from fans of Frankie Howerd
c) Donations from organisations which use Frankie Howerd’s work
d) Donations from individuals, groups, businesses and charitable organisations
We hope this will be a lasting memorial to Frankie, who was tireless in his own efforts to raise money for local charities and devoted his life to making others smile.
CHRIS BYRNE
Trust chairman Chris Byrne owns the copyright of the work of Frankie Howerd. He is happy to give TV, radio and press interviews about life at Wavering Down House. For more details, please call +44 (0)1934 732013
OUR STAR PATRONS
We are delighted to have the support of four wonderful comedians as patrons of The Frankie Howerd OBE Trust.
June Whitfield CBE and Griff Rhys Jones were great showbusiness friends of Frankie. June still makes regular visits to Wavering Down House to see her old friend, Dennis Heymer (pictured below).
David Walliams and Rafe Spall also visited the house as part of their research for a BBC 4 play, Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me, about the comedian’s private life.
JUNE WHITFIELD CBE
“It would be a privilege and a pleasure to become a patron of The Frankie Howerd OBE Trust. Thanks for the invitation.”
GRIFF RHYS JONES
“I have huge affection for the memory of Frankie. Working with him was one of the formative experiences of my career.”
DAVID WALLIAMS
“I am a huge fan of Frankie’s work. It was a dream come true to play him. He was a true comic genius and I will treasure the day I spent with you at Wavering Down House.”
RAFE SPALL
Rafe, who played Dennis Heymer in a BBC drama about the life of Frankie as seen through the eyes of his lifelong partner, was delighted to support the work of the Trust.
STAR GUESTS DROP IN
Actors Rafe Spall and David Walliams at the house before filming the TV drama Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me
