Superb sale of sports memorabilia takes place at Joe Calzaghe dinner

Sittingbourne, Kent (Mynewsdesk), Mar 27 2010 – Sittingbourne’s Autographs Store has helped raise money for the Help For Heroes charity by auctioning off a selection of highly prized sports memorabilia at a dinner hosted by boxer Joe Calzaghe.

The “Undefeated” Gala Dinner, hosted by Calzaghe at London’s swish Grosvenor House hotel, raised money for the Help For Heroes charity through subscription, seat price and the sale of sports memorabilia made possible by Autographs store.  Calzaghe, who hopes to raise half a million pounds to assist ex-servicemen and women, was delighted with the turnout and response to Autographs Store’s auction of signed sports memorabilia and sports autographs.

The Calzaghe dinner isn’t the first time Autographs Store has used a charity sale of signed sports memorabilia to raise funds for returned service personnel.  Late in 2009, a Sportsman’s Dinner hosted by footie legends Nigel Winterburn, Alan Smith, Ronnie Whelan and John Aldridge contributed thousands to the cause.  And in early March, Tony Gale, Neil Ruddock, Kenny Sansom, Neil Harris, Julian Dicks and Kerry Dixon lent a hand to see another sale of sports memorabilia topped even that figure.  Army heroes attended the second event and are expected to attend further Sportsman’s Dinners – the next dinner and sports memorabilia auction is slated for March 29, with more information about it available through the Autographs Store site.

Autographs Store’s practice of linking well-known sportsmen with charity auctions of signed sports memorabilia has received praise across the board for its organisation, planning and value for money.  Both the multi-personality Sportsman’s Dinners and single-attraction events like the Joe Calzaghe evening are credited with raising public awareness in a well-executed and tactful fashion.

Autographs Store retain mystery items of signed sports memorabilia specifically for auction during these evenings – a tactic that ensures a draw almost as big as the names of the attending sports personalities.  One-off items of signed sports memorabilia are donated and signed by attendees – which, in conjunction with the selections of sports autographs and memorabilia made by Autographs Store prior to the event, ensure that the auctions retain the enduring appeal only possible when quality items are being sold.

The Joe Calzaghe Gala Dinner and signed sports memorabilia auction took place on Joe’s birthday.  Autographs Store’s present to him was to raise more than £50,000 through their sale of sports autographs, special event packages and signed sports memorabilia.  Autographs Store ran both a “mainline” auction – a traditional auction of signed sports memorabilia, where patrons bid directly to an auctioneer – and a very successful “silent” auction.  A silent auction of sports memorabilia is one where no bids are shouted or gavelled:  bidders must keep their eyes on a series of auction cards marking select items of sports memorabilia, placing written bids to each card throughout the course of the evening.  Given that the evening was supported not just by sports stars from every discipline, but with entertainment from Stereophonics and Joss Stone, it’s not difficult to imagine that some of those pieces of sports memorabilia were lost by silent bidders whose attention had become otherwise engaged!