Published Date:
11 July 2007

By Abena Bailey

THE BULL pub in Hemel Hempstead has joined the fundraising mission to help Gerry and Kate McCann find their daughter Madeleine, who went missing in May.

The new pub landlords, Ricky Hampton and Jennifer Fotheringham have organised two events in July to raise money for Madeleine's Fund and will be auctioning a painting inspired by the little girl.

The painting will be auctioned off at a Casino Royale-themed entertainment night on Friday, July 13 and there will also be a charity football match on Sunday, July 22 at Leverstock Green Football Club.

Currently Mr Hampton is trying to encourage local sporting stars to join the celebrity football team to play against the pub's team in the charity match.

On Thursday, May 3, four-year-old Madeleine McCann went missing from her bedroom while on holiday in Portugal. Her parents were having dinner at a restaurant just 100 yards away.

Madeleine's disappearance has touched the hearts of the nation's people and scores of communities and businesses are holding events across the country to raise money for the Madeleine Fund, to help her parents find her.

Mr Hampton said: "I felt it was really important to do something to help. I have a young niece about Madeliene's age and when I heard the story about her going missing while on holiday it pulled at my heart strings."

The Casino Royale night will be a glitzy affair where invited guests will be able to win prizes playing classic casino games in the pub and bid for auction items.

The pub will be transformed with James Bond-style luxury décor, into a chic casino for one night only and a number of local celebrities, business owners and residents have been invited.

Kings Langley artist, 22-year-old Kat Unite said: "I was glad to take the opportunity to do something for the Madeleine McCann Fund and decided to produce a picture inspired by her innocence. It's a work in progress at the moment but I'm creating an acrylic piece of a girl clutching a teddy bear, in the style of Seurat. I think it will be a beautiful piece and a subtle reminder of children who go missing."

More than 20 businesses from Hemel Hempstead have donated prizes and given services to help make the night a success.

Top prizes include a limousine chauffeured trip to a West End musical, cinema tickets and designer shoes.

Contact The Bull pub to offer help with its support of the Madeleine McCann Fund.

To find out more about it visit the website at www.findmadeleine.com

The full article contains 440 words and appears in Hemel Gazette newspaper.