July 2001 saw Frank's 50th Birthday. Deano and Peter took on the job of organising a birthday bash for him. It was to be a surprise, and all Frank was told was to keep the weekend clear—and to have his passport and his snow boots at the ready.
The day came and Frank was collected in Barnsley by car and taken to.... Wombwell! He looked proper stupid stepping out of the car on a hot July evening wearing a pair of snow boots and brandishing a passport.
The event went on for two days. Deano hired a hotel for the weekend and all the crowd gathered from all corners of the globe to give the chairman a birthday do that he would remember for the rest of his life. When Frank finally realised he wasn't going on a trekking adventure in the Antarctic, and was staying in Wombwell instead, he admitted that he wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

 

The highlight of the weekend was 'This is Your life'. Finetime was the presenter, and the famous 'Red Book' was painstakingly compiled by Deano with stories from the birthday boy's past. During the show Frank was presented with signed photographs of Frank Sinatra and The Rolling Stones; as well as a genuine copy of The Times printed on the day he was born.

 

CLICK HERE to see a selection of stories from the Red Book.

Special credit must go to Deano and Peter for taking the time and effort to organise such a memorable weekend.
(Click on a picture to enlarge)

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This picture of Catherine's husband and son was placed on this page
in March 2004 to commemorate the second anniversary of her death.