Norwood, a charity which helps children with learning difficulties, runs facilities including this sensory roomEach year, to mark his birthday, Dr Alan Diamond OBE MCSI, a retired stockbroker, invites friends to lunch at a notable venue, with at least one top speaker, and encourages donations to a worthy cause.
This year, the event was staged at the offices of international law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner on London Bridge and the proceeds went to support Norwood, a charity which helps people with learning difficulties.
Alan, a patron of Norwood, said: “It’s a very worthy cause with which I have been associated most of my life.”
Alan founded a charitable trust in 1976 with his wife Sheila, and from a modest initial investment the fund has grown substantially, enabling it to support a variety of charities.
“Over the past five years, more than £100,000 has been raised at my birthday lunches,” he said.
Speakers at this year’s lunch were Peter Brown, a Senior Director at Christie’s, on life at the auction house, Robin Griffiths, Chief Technical Strategist at ECU on the outlook for investors and life peer Lord Clement Jones CBE on the political landscape in the UK.
Guests were also given an insight into the work of Norwood by the charity’s Chief Executive Elaine Kerr.
She said: “As a charity that needs to raise £12 million per annum we are very fortunate to have the exceptional commitment and support of major donors like Alan and Sheila Diamond. It was a privilege for Norwood to benefit from Alan’s special birthday lunch, and a real pleasure to have the opportunity to speak to his distinguished guests about Norwood.”
Elaine is pictured receiving a cheque from Alan at the lunch.