9:39pm Sunday 18th May 2008
By Andrew Greaves
Chorley-based billionaire Trevor Hemmings has been award a lifetime achievement award at the Variety Club Children's Charity Property Awards.
Mr Hemmings, who is a major shareholder in Preston North End and owns Blackpool Tower and other attractions in the resort, was recognised for his contribution to the UK.
He has been one of the country's biggest supporters of charities, including the Variety Club Children's Charity, for a number of years.
His family's private interests have an annual turnover of £225million and 2,000 employees.
Mr Hemmings, who was born in London but was brought up and educated in Leyland is the 70th richest man in the UK according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
He recently sold his chain of Pontin's holiday camps in a deal thought to be worth more than £45m.
Amongst his generosity to a large number of charities, his support for the British Red Cross has earned him two Badges of Honour from the organisation and he is vice president of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers.
Most of the money raised from the awards event funds Easy Riders, for Variety's Easy Riders Wheelchair Programme. For twenty years the Variety Club Children's Charity in the UK has been supporting disabled children on the road to independence through its Easy Riders Wheelchairs for Kids scheme. The aim is to ensure children throughout the UK have access to the most appropriate equipment to give them as independent a life as possible.
Neil Sinclair, co-chairman of the PROPS awards committee, said: "Since 1988, the Variety Club Children's Charity has been supporting disabled children on the road to independence through its Easy Riders Wheelchairs for Kids scheme. We are looking to actively increase the number of children we support. Our aim is to ensure children throughout the UK have access to the most appropriate equipment to give them as independent a life as possible."
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