NICE TO SEE YOU

The care and attention and support that we have had since Estella's death in November 2011 has been well chronicled in these pages. There have been some celebrities, some institutions , but most of all there have been some fantastic people who could not have been closer if they were family. They listened while we cried , they listened while we raged and they listened while we remembered. Exceptional - amazing people. You know perfectly well if it is you that I am talking about. Do not be modest - you know.

We always said that it would be terrific if one day we could meet up with some of our strongest ( and maybe strangest ) supporters. Some came to London with us to lobby Nick Clegg. Others have visited us around the country but there are far more of you that I want to say thankyou to in person.

As you are probably aware we recently decided to hold a SMASHSMA fundraising evening. The theme was unusual - we wanted to reproduce a 1950s Beat Generation 'Happening' - complete with bearded poets and musicians. Think MADMEN during the first season and you won't go far wrong.

So after lots of organisation we are holding a full weekend of retro 50s and 60s entertainment at the New York Stadium in Rotherham - South Yorkshire. The theme is based around the Beat Generation writer Jack Kerouac who wrote the famous novel - On The Road.

What's that got to do with SMA ? Nothing - and that's the point. The novel, On the Road, and the philosophy of the Beats was to live life in the moment. to celebrate , to love, to dance and to enjoy every moment - and that's what we think of when we think of Estella. a little girl who made the most out of every ounce of life that was given her - and although that wasn't much in terms of time - it was so much in terms of quality and the impact she has left behind.

So

We want YOU to come and meet Maria and myself and Cristina at the event. We want to thank YOU personally for all you have done and the love and support you have shown. Even if you have never heard of Kerouac then I can still promise you a Saturday experience you will never forget. We have a band Heath Common and the Thin Man who will really get you going, We have a play that I wrote with my mate Brian called Beat Surrender and we have an evening of song, poetry, dance and craziness that will be unlike anything you have ever seen as you are transported back in time to 1957 and a retro night to remember. If you come to both days there are panels and discussions and films about the beats on the Sunday.

Every penny of profit ( please God ) is going to Professor Gillingwater's SMASHSMA research fund.

More importantly though we would love to meet you and thankyou. there will be a film about Estella and the chance to help spread the word about SMA with us. Please come and say hello.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

1) Go and follow the show on TWITTER now @kerouacbeats
2) Full details of the weekend are on www.kerouacbeats.blogspot.com PLEASE LOOK
3) The full weekend costs £ 25 but that includes 18 hours of entertainment / free parking / a cuddle with Cristina - and all goes to SMASHSMA
4) Or just come to the Saturday or Sunday at £ 15 per day. I would rather you were there on the Saturday night so you can get a little pisse@@@ drunk and buy things in the SMA auction.
5) It would be amazing for us to meet you but also for you to meet up with people you have been tweeting with for nearly two years now.
6) 6th and 7th JULY - NEW YORK STADIUM / ROTHERHAM
You can buy tickets NOW at

BUY TICKETS NOW - PLEASE

Please come along and say hello - we want to meet you. If you can't make it why not just buy a ticket anyway and consider it a nice mad act to support SMASHSMA

See you there xxx