THE family of Alastair Brownlee have issued a heartfelt thanks to everyone who played a part in making the inaugural MFC Foundation Ali Brownlee Parmo Party a success.
Alastair’s wife Wendy, together with daughters Alison and Emily and other family members, were among the audience at a packed Legends Lounge at the Riverside on the 17th anniversary of Boro’s historic win over Steaua Bucharest in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.
“I can’t thank every enough for being here,” said Wendy. “This means so much to us all. To think Ali is still remembered this way, by so many, is really nice.”
Wendy went on to thank Group Industrial UK Limited who sponsored the night and paid for a table for the family, as well as thanking the Foundation for the idea of the event and setting it up.
In a nod to Ali’s famous commentary on the final whistle which ended with him inviting everyone round his house for a parmo, the ‘delicacy’ was served, with salad and chips of course, before the audience settled into what turned out to be a rather special night.
The game, with Ali’s commentary, was played in full on a big screen and TVs around the room, in which was an eye-catching and very popular display set up by the guys from the Boro Shirt Museum.
Stewart Downing, who set up three of the four goals, spoke of his memories, so too his teammate Stuart Parnaby and his father Dave, the former Boro Academy manager who watched four Academy products play that night.
A raffle brought in around £1,100 for the Foundation, helping us continue our work in Teesside’s communities and could, for example, fund a number of visits to care homes around the area to meet those living with dementia.
