discus <div class="headline" id="ds-headline"><h1>Oh what a knight as Parky takes lead role at Dickie's birthday bash</h1></div> <div class="viewarticlepanel"><div class="multiimageon" id="MainMultiImage"><div id="MainImageDiv"></div><div id="ImageCaption">Test of time: Dickie Bird is celebrating his birthday and Parky, inset, will be there</div><div class="offinline" id="ThumbDiv"><div class="thumb"></div><div class="thumb">/</div><div class="thumb">/</div><div class="thumb2">/</div></div> <div class="offinline" id="Navigation"><div class="off" id="PreviousBlock1">« Previous </div><div class="off" id="PreviousBlock1Inactive">« Previous</div><div class="off" id="NextBlock1">Next » </div><div class="off" id="NextBlock1Inactive">Next »</div></div> <div class="off noprint" id="divGalleryLink">View Gallery</div></div></div><div class="byline" id="ds-byline">By Gail Robinson</div><div class="ds-firstpara" id="ds-firstpara">SIR Michael Parkinson will be the star attraction at a special gala charity dinner to celebrate the life and career of his old Barnsley Cricket Club team-mate Dickie Bird.</div><div class="va-bodytext" id="va-bodytext">Dickie reaches his 75th birthday in April, so Parky, currently enjoying the sunshine in Australia after retiring as the king of chat, is heading back to his northern roots to help him celebrate. Parky, knighted in the New Year's Honours List after more than 30 years interviewing the biggest names in sport and showbusiness, will be joined by BBC Look North frontman Harry Gration at the event. Parky and Dickie played cricket together for Barnsley as teenagers alongside another up and coming young batsman - Geoffrey Boycott. The two have remained close friends as Parky became a legendary chat show host and Dickie the world's favourite and top umpire. Dickie even made a surprise visit to London to appear on a television tribute just days before Parky's last show was broadcast and surprised him live on the Paul O'Grady show to give him "best wishes from Barnsley". Dickie said at his Barnsley home today: "It is great to reach 75 and to be able to celebrate the moment with my old mate Parky." All proceeds from the gala dinner in Leeds on April 10, will go to the Dickie Bird Foundation, a charity set up by Dickie in March 2004 to help young people from financially disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue their sporting dreams. Both Sir Michael and Harry are already patrons of the Foundation. "It promises to be a trem endou <div id="ds-mpu"></div>s evening and, more importantly, we hope to raise a large amount of money for the kids," said Dickie. Tickets for the event are available from info@thedickiebirdfoundation.org or call 01924 430593. sions........:'( </div>
"SIR Michael Parkinson will be the star attraction at a special gala charity dinner to celebrate the life and career of his old Barnsley Cricket Club team-mate Dickie Bird." Shouldn't the star be Dickie Bird?!
Because Barnsley's alright for when you're telling quaint stories Of your grim early life.</p> But if you want a decent bottle of wine with your main course and mutual back-slapping then you need the big city.</p> What was up with Brooklands ? Can't we ask the rich & famous to mucky their shoes in Barnsley ?</p>
