Victoria Wood to be remembered at Merchant Adventurers' Hall event

The comedian was originally due to visit the historic property last December to join Jessie’s Fund in celebrating its 20th anniversary but was unable to attend because she was privately fighting cancer.

Following her death earlier this year, the charity has decided to stage ‘Victoria Wood remembered’ on December 1, hosted by her friend Daniel Rigby, who won a BAFTA playing Eric Morecambe in Eric and Ernie, a TV drama conceived by Victoria.

He will share his memories and She Productions will perform some of Victoria’s sketches and songs, and there will be supper with wine, an auction including Victoria Wood memorabilia and a prize draw.

Victoria was patron for 20 years of the charity, which helps children with serious illnesses or complex needs communicate through music. It was originally set up to pay for complementary treatment in America for nine-year-old York girl Jessica George, after she became ill and was diagnosed with a rare and inoperable brain tumour.

She died in 1994 before the treatment could be undertaken, but her parents, musicians Lesley Schatzberger and Alan George, decided the fund should become a charity dedicated to helping seriously ill and disabled children through the creative and therapeutic use of music.

Victoria said she was delighted to become a patron because music helped everybody, no matter what their physical limitations or their difficulties with vision, hearing, or communication were.

Lesley Schatzberger, director of the Fund, said Victoria had been a ‘fantastic patron’ who was generous with her time and support.

“It is an honour to be able to remember and celebrate her work and her support for Jessie’s Fund with friends, fun and laughter at ‘Victoria Wood Remembered,”she said.

• Tickets costing £45 are available from 01904 658189 or info@jessiesfund.org.uk, with tables also available, and all money raised going to the charity.