MERCY Home Kids at Ray Dimonds Birthday Party Show

Ray Dimond owner of The ‘Venue Hotel and Showbar’ in Jomtien, Pattaya who is a   long-time supporter of ‘Pattaya Street Kids Support Project’ and an enthusiastic fundraiser for local charities recently asked us if we would like to take a few children to his Birthday Party show on August 9th at ‘The Venue’ to help celebrate his birthday.

Ray was born in Stratford in London’s East End. He started dancing at the age of ten, attending a local dancing school. His first professional engagement was in the West End’s Victoria Palace theatre, in "Noddy In Toyland". Ray then went on to become a student at the famous “Italia Conti" stage school.
After graduating, he appeared in many theatres in England including London’s Windmill Theatre. His West End credits in musicals include "Showboat” at the "Adelphi Theatre, "Promises Promises” at the Prince of Wales Theatre, "Cole" at the Mermaid alongside Una Stubbs, two long seasons at the Talk of the Town, and "A Chorus Line" at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane.

Ray was a founder member of T.V group "The Young Generation" and the following "Second Generation" Ray also spent two years with Cliff Richard, including appearances at the London Palladium.
In 1975, Ray did a season in Blackpool and there met his long term partner Darrell Bevers. Together they formed a theatrical production company, and Ray choreographed numerous summer seasons, pantomimes, and cruise lines, with every major U.K. star, including the "Ray Cornell Dancers"; spending a ten year period performing in front of every member of the Royal Family, including Diana Princess of Wales at the London Palladium.

In 1993 Ray and Darrell purchased an old hotel on Blackpool’s Central Promenade  and created "Celebrities", a show bar dedicated to their theatrical lives. With much hard work, this grew into a very successful 60 bed hotel. After running it for some 13 years, they were approached by a Scottish coach company, who bought the hotel and thus enabled retirement in Pattaya.

Ray and Darrell retired to Pattaya just four and a half years ago, but got bored with retirement and, together with partner Ken Townsley, purchased the Jomtien property that is now the "VENUE"
We were able to arrange for six of the youngest children from the MERCY Children’s home to attend the party where Ray invited them on stage for a spot where he sang ‘You make me feel so young’ to them. All of the children we treated like royalty by Ray and his staff and were presented with gifts by Ray and his dancers then after the children had left the stage and during an interval in the show Ray produced his now famous Perspex box which was  put on the stage, where, with Ray’s encouragement the audience donated  19,460Baht (£393) in a little over ten-minutes. The money will give a much needed boost to our food program for kids that we are helping living in Pattaya

The following day Ray commented to us “The children were lovely and you would have been so proud of them”. Our thanks go to Ray for his generous thoughts to raise funds for PSKSP at his birthday show and grateful  thanks to photographer Mr. Khomsan Boonthong (Khun Ton) and   ‘PattayaHotmale International’ for giving us permission to use their photographs of the evening.

The email below received on the morning following the show is from Liz Shepherd of MERCY who accompanied the children to the show and gives a flavour of the evening ================

If I can see through my teary eyes  I'll tell you that the show went well and the guys seemed to be supporting Ray's appeal  generously from what I could see. 
The children waited upstairs in one of the bedrooms (very impressive) and watched a cartoon, and were allowed to have a small amount of coke. Ray had asked for crisps, - and they were put in the goodie bags they each got to take back with them. Then around 10.20pm Joe brought them down and they each gave Ray a rose as they went on stage, and presented him with a signed Thank You /birthday card that they'd helped make. They brought little stool for each child, and then some of the boys/girls sat with them as Ray sang his special song. He still has a good voice, doesn't he?
Madam Karen had come in specially from Istanbul and did two numbers. He always amazes me - in his eighties and still going strong. When I look at his hands it reminds me of that ballet dancer who played the evil Pied Piper in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Oh bother, it's on the tip of my tongue - he was Director of the Royal Ballet, I think. Sir Robert Heltman, Helpman, something like that.  You'll know who I mean - and don't tell me you're too young!
The show and costumes were as good as ever; Ray was very kind and instructed his head waiter that anything Fred, Tom or I wanted, was to be on his bill. He really is a very nice person - and he was so nervous beforehand, bless him.
Tom and I stayed until the end. However, Ray was well surrounded, so we didn't get to say Thank You at that time. He rang and said he could have given me the money then, but I know he likes to count it, and with everyone around probably all wanting to congratulate him, we didn't want to put any pressure on him. I'll perhaps go down in a short while and take a cake for him……………..
Liz.

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100 Years From Today

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