MAKING A RIGHT SONG AND DANCE FOR THE STARR TRUST

Many of you will recall the now infamous trophy-winning performance in June when Gemini Print Managing Director, Steve Cropper, and Shoreham by Sea’s singer-songwriter Alex Banks joined forces to perform a cabaret act! Donning wigs, gowns and heels the duo (remembering that Steve ‘does not sing and does not dance.’!) entertained an audience of more than 600 guests at the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People’s Midsummer Ball at the Hilton Brighton Metropole with a corset bursting performance of Lady Marmalade.The ball is an annual event to raise funds for four charities focussed on young people; Chestnut Tree House, The Chailey Heritage Foundation, Action Medical Research and the Starr Trust. This year more than £70,000 was shared between the four charities.So, it was a sunny August bank holiday afternoon, and Alex Banks was performing his very popular “the rat without the pack” swing show with the signature tunes of Frank Sinatra, leading into his upbeat party set at Suters Yard in Shoreham. Spotting Steve in the crowd Alex told everyone about the Starr Trust, and the pair did a rousing impromptu performance of Lady Marmalade. Thank you to everyone who immediately donated, raising more than £190.Steve Cropper commented “Raising more than £22,000 for the Starr Trust in June would not have been possible without the sheer talent and personality of Alex Banks and the guidance of David Hill of E3 Events. The impromptu performance in Suters Yard raised some more funds but was just as important for sharing the fun with local people who had heard so much about what we were up to – they were spared the outfits – apart from anything else we would have melted in the heat!”For your amusement, this video provides a snapshot of the original performance: