The Sir Bobby Robson Celebrity Classic 2018 – Sponsored by Pin Point Recruitment
Last month we were lucky enough to accompany our friends, Pin Point Recruitment on their charity trip with clients, to attend the prestigious Sir Bobby Robson Celebrity Golf Classic weekend in Vilamoura, which Pin Point Recruitment had very kindly sponsored.
Our visit to the beautiful Algarve region of Portugal included a visit to the Refugio Aboim Ascensão, an afternoon tea party at the Pestana Vila Sol with the children from the Refugio and an evening buffet with Lady Elsie Robson and guests. The final and main events being the wonderful golf tournament with well known Sky Sports Golf presenter Sarah Stirk, followed by the Gala Dinner hosted by commentator Clive Tyldesley and an entertaining auction by Johnny Gould.
The Sir Bobby Robson Celebrity Golf Classic has been run annually for fifteen years at the request of Lady Elsie Robson and her family. The tournament was started by Sir Bobby in 2004 with the objective of having a fun celebrity golf tournament in the sun, but most importantly to raise money for a homeless children’s charity the Refugio Aboim Ascensão, chosen by Sir Bobby and Lady Elsie, which is based in Faro.
About the Event
Since 2004, over 1 million Euros have been raised on behalf of Sir Bobby and Lady Elsie to help the charity continue the great work they do for homeless babies and children aged under six who have been abandoned and in some cases abused. Since Sir Bobby’s death in July 2009 the tournament has continued with Lady Elsie’s blessing with two principal objectives:
Firstly, to Celebrate Bobby’s life both on and off the pitch, to remember what he brought to football both in the UK and in continental Europe having become one of the most successful British managers in Europe.
Secondly, because Sir Bobby would have wanted to keep raising valuable funds for the Charity and help those Children so less fortunate than our own.
Celebrities from the world’s of football, sport and entertainment attend and play with the corporate teams for the honour of winning Bobby’s tournament played on the Championship Course at Pestana Vila Sol on the Algarve, which has twice hosted the Portuguese Open. Celebrities who have played include Steve Bruce, Mick McCarthy, Alan Shearer, Kenny Dalglish, Alan Brazil, Harry Redknapp, Sam Allardyce, Ray Clemence and the late, great Cyrille Regis, to name just a few.
In 2016 a wonderful statue of Sir Bobby was commissioned and placed in a beautiful position, sitting on a bench overlooking the 18th green at Pestana Vila Sol. This was out of respect for the considerable efforts and sums raised for the Refugio. A lasting legacy.
The Charity
Sir Bobby and Lady Elsie started their European Travels in Holland where Bobby first managed PSV Eindhoven winning back to back Dutch League Championships in 1991 and 1992.
Bobby then moved to Sporting Lisbon where he teamed up with Jose Mourinho who was appointed as his interpreter – the rest is history. After a period at Sporting, FC Porto snapped Bobby up (Jose went with him) where he went on to do the triple, winning the Portuguese Winners Cup in 1994, plus Porto were Portuguese League Champions in 1995 and 1996. This success was followed by a move to Barcelona where in 1997 it was Bobby’s bonanza year – winning the Spanish Cup , the Super Group & runners up in La Liga and to top it all off the European Cup Winners Cup.
Throughout those years Bobby and Elsie enjoyed living in continental Europe and were particularly fond of their time in Portugal. When the opportunity arose for Bobby to become involved again in Portugal at Vila Sol on the Algarve, one of the ideas was to run a golf day in Bobby’s name to the benefit of a charity.
Back in 2003 Bobby and Lady Elsie chose the Refugio Aboim Ascensão to be the benefactors of the funds raised at the tournament. The home looks after 95 children at any one time and is a 7-days a week, 24 hours a day operation. Its Director, Dr. Luis Villas-Boas and his dedicated team, look after the children and create a home and new lives for them. The philosophy the Director and staff of the Refugio live by is that “Every child has the right to be loved“. Since Sir Bobby started this tournament in 2004 – 1,100,000 Euros has been raised for the children and the tournament is now a major fund raiser for the Refugio.
The Tournament
30 teams of three plus a celebrity golfer play in the competition on the Pestana Vila Sol Championship Course that has twice hosted the Portuguese Open.
Previously filmed for broadcast on Sky Sports this has become a favourite tournament with many celebrities from the worlds of football and entertainment who come and give their time to celebrate Sir Bobby’s life.
The format is a practice round on Friday followed by the stableford tournament on Saturday morning on the closed course **
Best two scores count off full Golf Club accredited handicap.
Lunch on the Golf Club Terrace for the teams follows Saturday’s round.
Gala Dinner with Prize Giving, Auction and Cabaret in the Pestana Vila Sol Atlantico Ballroom.
Buggies are provided on Friday and Saturday.
Beverages provided with Saturday’s luncheon and at the Gala Dinner.
Teams
Details for event date and team rates for 2019 yet to be confirmed
Teams are sold on a first come first served basis; a team is only sold and confirmed when payment has been received in full.
Sponsorship
Opportunities exist for associate sponsorship.
Tailored packages can be created for companies who wish to support Sir Bobby Robson’s Tournament and help the children of the Refugio Aboim Ascensão.
Organisers are currently negotiating next years TV Broadcast on Sky. This will involve golf highlights, interviews and much more.
Golf Polo shirt branding is available as well as golf hole flag, tee boxes and banner packages on course. Programme editorial and advertising, association and branding with affiliated websites and with the ‘Portugal News’ the largest read English language paper in Portugal.
Get your company involved and engaged by being part of this splendid tournament that celebrates the life of one of the true icons of British football.
For further details please contact us.
