Fans raise over £1,000 for charities at League of Gentlemen anniversary event

Dozens of League of Gentlemen fans gathered in Hadfield on 29 June to celebrate 25 years of the cult BBC sitcom, while raising money for charity. 

Hosted at Hadfield Hall by the League of Charities and Local Stuff (LOCALS) – also known as League Charities – the event saw fans travel from across the country for a walking tour of the show’s filming locations, as well as a quiz, raffle, and cosplay competition. 

Over £1,000 was raised during the event which will be shared equally across four charities – Derian House Children’s Hospice, Switchboard, No Panic, and Neuroblastoma UK. 

There was also an extra special surprise in store for attendees, who got the chance to have pictures taken with Barbara Dixon’s taxi (Babs Cabs), courtesy of Derian House Children’s Hospice. 

The cab appeared in the League of Gentlemen anniversary specials in 2017 and was donated to Derian House by Steve Pemberton (an ambassador for the charity) for use at its annual Stars & Cars convention in Bolton. The convention features Europe’s largest collection of movie and TV vehicles and raises vital funds for the hospice. 

League Charities was formed five years ago by four friends and fans, Chelsea Moss, Allison Green, Alyssa James, and Sally Jones, to raise money for charities close to the hearts of the show’s creators, Jeremy Dyson, Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, and Reece Shearsmith.

Alyssa James of League Charities said: “The 25th anniversary felt like the perfect time to bring fans together and celebrate this weird and wonderful thing we all love – while raising some cash for our brilliant charities. 

“It’s also the 15th anniversary of Psychoville and the 10th year of Inside No. 9, which has just aired its final series, so there were nods to Reece and Steve’s creations throughout the event too.

“We’ve had people come from all over the country including London, Scotland, and Dorset just to celebrate with us, which shows how committed the fans are, and just how enduring the League’slegacy really is. It was a fantastic day – and we were delighted to see so many people embrace the cosplay element too!”

Chelsea, Sally, Allison, and Alyssa have been raising money for the Gents’ charities for the past five years through a mix of in-person events, and online auctions, raffles, quizzes, and watchalongs. 

Alyssa adds: “We’re already talking about the next event and can’t wait to return to Hadfield to get together with like-minded people and raise even more money for our charities. 

“After all, you’ll never leave!”

To view more photos, visit - https://notreallyheregroup.photo/collections/league-of-gentlemen-2024-tevbr1vfie9giedftlrmru1ftiaymdi0