Hospitality bosses at Hampden Park are helping in the search for the next Susan Boyle in the UK’s first ever A&E’s Got Talent Competition.
Doctors, consultants, paramedics and nurses from A&E departments across Scotland will battle it out to become crowned the winner of the competition on September 21.
NHS staff are to overcome their stage fright and compete against each other at the football stadium by singing and dancing their way through the talent competition to try and raise as much money as they can for charity.
But to ensure the acts perform at their best, Sodexo Prestige, who provide catering, hospitality and events at Hampden, will be serving up a delicious three course meal at a charity dinner before they hit the spotlight.
Jane Thomson, sales and revenue manager with Sodexo Prestige at Hampden, said: “We are thrilled to be part of the first ever A&Es Got Talent Competition. I think it’s going to be a great laugh for everyone involved and it will be interesting to see how many people have a secret talent to reveal to their colleagues.
“NHS staff work very long hours saving thousands of lives each year and it is great to see them further their commitment to people by taking the time to raise money for charity.
“This sort of event also shows how flexible the stadium is as it can be used not only for sporting events, but as an entertainment and dining venue too. It showcases how well we can accommodate large numbers of people who want to use the venue for a variety of different set-ups, in this case, for both entertainment and dining.
“Events like this truly underline what a special place Hampden Park is, not only as the home of Scottish football, but as a venue which will be used by thousands of people to create some fantastic memories.”
The talent show will take place after the seventh annual Casualty Cup at Toryglen Regional Football Centre in Glasgow where 16 teams of NHS staff will battle it out on the pitch earlier in the day to win a trophy.
They will then head to Hampden Park to try and impress the panel of top judges which includes Scottish goal keeper Alan Rough, former Scottish footballer, Frank MacAvennie and Celtic star Kris Commons’ partner, Lisa Hague, and be crowed the A&E’s Got Talent winner.
It is hoped that £5,000 will be raised from the competition which will be split between the Emergency Malawi Project and the Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice’s Brick by Brick Appeal.
Peter Martin, co-ordinator at the Casualty Cup, said: “We are very excited to hold the first ever A&Es got Talent at Hampden Stadium.
“It’s great that we can enjoy the charity dinner in the same place as the competition without having to fuss over travelling to different places. This is one of the main reasons we chose this venue as it makes the day run much more smoothly.
“Hampden Park stadium works perfectly for us as we have a large number of people attending so there is plenty of space for us. Everyone is really excited to come and enjoy the venue to its fullest and to show their colleagues there normally hidden talents.
“Who knows, we might even find our next Susan Boyle among the medical profession.”
An auction will also be held on the night including football shirts signed by football legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Organisers of the event are still looking for sponsors of the event to try and raise as much money as possible for their chosen charities. Anyone who wants to know more about becoming a sponsor can visit: www.casualtycup.weebly.com for more information.
As well as providing match day hospitality at Hampden, Sodexo Prestige has helped build up a thriving business in non match day meetings, conferences, exhibitions and events at the stadium, which is recognised by UEFA as a five star venue and was recently named Scotland’s Best Match Day Hospitality Experience at the 2013 Official Football Hospitality Awards.
Sodexo Prestige is the corporate dining, hospitality and events division of Sodexo and partners with 17 top class venues in Scotland and 50 across the UK. It also provides catering hospitality for The Open Championship, one of the world’s biggest golfing events.
