The Max Factor with Max Clifford

Above: Surrey Life columnist and PR guru Max Clifford

• Max Clifford has kindly donated his fee for this month’s column to Oasis in Cobham – a charity that works with vulnerable children and their families throughout the Elmbridge area. For more information, visit www.oasischildcare.demon.co.uk

Welcome one and all...

Among the many parts of our county that I love, Shere stands out for me for many reasons. The natural beauty of the village itself and the picturesque surrounding countryside, including the spectacular views from nearby Newlands Corner, have made this an area I often visit.

Kinghams is one of my favourite restaurants in Surrey and the nearby Lucky Duck, in Shere village high street, provides the kind of breakfast or tea of both quantity and quality that suits me perfectly.

Also, whenever I’m there, it gives me a chance to pop into the beautiful local church, St James’, which was originally built in the 12th century.

On one such visit to St James’, just before Christmas 2004, I was lucky enough to chance upon the local school children’s choir practising for a carol concert.

The sights and sounds I so enjoyed that day sparked an idea, and on Wednesday December 5, there will be an evening carol concert arranged by myself and Surrey Life to raise funds for the CHASE Children’s Hospice, of which I am a patron.

It promises to be a lovely evening and I hope that some of you will help to pack St James’ Church on that night.

It's a celebration...

Double birthday celebrations were in order at Caffe Di Vinci in Baker Street, Weybridge, recently for two remarkable people. Dorothea Baxter, who lives in Baker Street, toasted her 102nd birthday with Britain’s oldest working man, Buster Martin, who’s 101 not out.

Buster works for Pimlico Plumbers and got to know Dorothea from work colleagues who met her while on a call to a neighbour of hers. Buster is still working and, up until recently, Dorothea was still dancing. A former ballroom champion, she only stopped a couple of years ago. Dorothea explains: “I ran out of dancing partners – they all died on me.”

The formation team that she led actually won the first ever series of Come Dancing on BBC1 back in the 1950’s.
“These days, I enjoy watching Strictly Come Dancing on Saturday nights, but I must admit in those days, we were fully dressed,” she recalls.

When Caffe Di Vinci owners Grace and Nigel Hessay found out about Dorothea’s 102nd birthday, they quickly arranged a small surprise celebration and invited a few close local friends as well as Buster to join them.

So, many happy returns to Dorothea, a lovely, elegant lady, who to me still looks capable of gracing any dance floor.

Proud to be British...

The Daily Mirror’s Pride of Britain Awards is one of the few award ceremonies that I regularly attend. Unlike many showbiz TV and award dinners, full of ‘luvvies’ telling each other how wonderful they are, this is all about members of the public being celebrated for acts of genuine bravery and outstanding achievement.

It’s always a great event and a constant reminder to me of the kind of men, women and children that make me proud to be British.

While at this year’s event, which took place at the London Television studios near Waterloo, I met a beautiful lady called Sally Bee, who originated in Epsom. Sally is living proof that appearances can be deceptive. Looking at this young and glamorous woman anyone would be forgiven for thinking that she is the picture of health. Tragically, things are not as they seem.

At the age of 36, Sally was in the prime of her life, successfully juggling a career as a writer and TV presenter, as well as looking after her three young children. Then, in 2004, she suffered three major heart attacks in the space of only one week. Unbeknown to her, she was born with a major heart defect that had the potential to kill her at any time. The main artery that feeds the heart had become entirely dissected. With Sally’s life hanging in the balance, the doctors asked her husband to come and say his final goodbye. It was a huge surprise to them when Sally managed to survive three precious hours; astonishingly, she also survived until the next morning!

Three years on, Sally lives her life to the full, and is currently writing a book called Mood Food for a Healthy Heart, Body and Soul. It is very light-hearted, and will include over 100 recipes.

Sally is also a spokesperson for The British Heart Foundation and an expert patient adviser under The Stanford University Programme. She regularly gives talks and cookery demonstrations to health organisations and heart rehab groups as well as medical conferences.

It is Sally’s aim to raise awareness about heart disease, the UK’s biggest killer, whilst encouraging people to get fit, and have fun with food. I’m sure that her expert advice will help lots of people and potentially save many lives.

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