HATS OFF TO SHILLING

It was hats off to David Shilling for a highly entertaining talk at Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation Ladies Autumn Lunch held on Thursday, 11 October at the Queen’s Stand, Epsom Racecourse.

300 ladies came to hear Shilling recount his memories of being the man who re-invented hats in the late 20 th Century. Very much at home at a racecourse, Shilling told of how he created the sensational hats and outfits made famous by his mother, Gertrude, attending Royal Ascot for over 30 years. www.davidshilling.com

Since those days, Shilling has become an internationally acclaimed artist/designer with his work on show at art museums throughout the world including Los Angeles, Philadelphia and the Louvre, Paris. Shilling flew in especially from his home in Monaco to be guest speaker at the lunch and kindly donated his usual fee to the charity.

Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation operates five specialist centres for people with complex disabilities focusing on brain injury rehabilitation, development of life skills, vocational training, mobility assessments and recreational activities.

A highly popular event, the Ladies Autumn Lunch is now in its 17 th successive year and was once again kindly sponsored by the Blair Foundation. In addition to being entertained by David, there were 50 stalls to entice the ladies to do a little shopping with a wide variety of clothes, shoes, jewellery, toys and gifts on offer.

This event raised in excess of £16K with the proceeds going to the Foundation’s Brain Injury Centre in Banstead which works with young adults who acquire a brain injury through accident or illness.

For press information, please contact Caroline Barratt, Queen Elizabeth’s Foundation, Leatherhead Court, Woodlands Road, Leatherhead, Surrey KT22 0BN. Email: caroline.barratt@qef.org.uk Tel: 01372 841129. Re gistered Charity No. 251051.