Remember Reuben - and see Vargas, Glurdjidze and Dave

There can't be many more distressing things in life than losing a child. And especially not one like little Reuben Graham who looks like the bonniest little fellow one could every hope to meet. Reuben died quite suddenly of a brain tumour which was detected while on holiday in Devon.  The lad received emergency treatment in Bristol and while he was there his family were lodged in a CLIC Sergeant Home from Home. In memory of Reuben the family wish to "provide a retreat in the North West of England countryside that will relieve the distress of families and their close friends who have suffered the bereavement of a child or have a child suffering from a life limiting or life threatening illness."

Although Reuben died in Bristol he came from Mottram which is just across the Pennines from me.  On 16 Feb 2014 Bristol Russian Youth Ballet Company will visit our neck of the woods to dance Cinderella. Now as I tweeted earlier Reuben's Retreat is such a good cause that I would gladly watch Dot and Albert Shufflebottom perform the hokey cokey in the car park of the Tipsy Ferret in Rawtenstall but the Bristol Russian Youth Ballet Company promises rather more than that. They have arranged for Elena Glurdjidze and Arionel Vargas of the English National Ballet to dance with them. Not only that but Dave of the Dave Tries Ballet blog will also be dancing.  If you have not dipped into Dave Tries Ballet yet you should because it is the best ballet blog by a country mile. Dave announced yesterday that his blog had attracted a million hits which does not surprise me at all.

The ballet will be performed at the The Plaza, Mersey Square, Stockport, Cheshire. SK1 1SP at 16:00 on 16 Feb 2014.  Tickets cost £15 plus a £1.50 booking fee which is a bargain compared to what you would pay in The Coliseum or even The Lowry or Palace to see Glurdjidze and Vargas. You can buy tickets by telephone or on-line. The number of the box office is 0161 477 7779. I would advise you to book in person if you are in walking distance of the Plaza or by telephone if you are not. The problem of booking on-line is that the box office charges you a whopping £2 for postage which I for one would rather give to the charity.

I have booked my ticket and if you run into me in the theatre bar you can buy me a drink for my birthday.