Patron Paul Mayhew-Archer raises over £10k for Cure Parkinson’s and Maggie’s Cancer Centres

Cure Parkinson’s patron and TV comedy legend Paul Mayhew-Archer hosted two showings of his incredible one man stand up show, ‘An Incurable Optimist’ in September of this year, raising funds for Cure Parkinson’s and Maggie’s Cancer Centres; two charities close to his heart.  

A total of 440 people packed out the Abbey Cinema in Oxford across the shows, and the roof was well and truly raised with laughter! Paul’s stand-up set included material from his one-man show, ‘An Incurable Optimist’, as well as new material focusing on life in lockdown. Audience members bid on auction prizes which included a portrait from a local artist, memorabilia signed by the Vicar of Dibley herself, Dawn French, and rugby jerseys signed by England rugby player and fellow Cure Parkinson’s patron Mike Tindall.

We’re delighted to announce that a total of £10,000 was raised for the two charities, and members of the team including Deputy CEO Helen Matthews visited Paul to collect the donation.

I’m delighted to present these huge cheques. I wish of course they were for huge amounts. At a time when a very old man can raise over a hundred million pounds by simply walking up and down his garden, I feel I should have got more than £5,000 for each of these charities. But, as Shakespeare once put it so well – or was it Mr Tesco – “every little helps”. 

Paul Mayhew-Archer

Cure Parkinson’s would like to thank Paul for his continued support and dedication to raising awareness and funds for Parkinson’s. His positive attitude and desire to make a difference through his talent of making people laugh is an inspiration.

The world may be a cruel place at times, but it is also a wonderful, funny place and let us celebrate those nuggets of comedy whenever and wherever we find them. My aim in life is to raise four things – money, laughs, spirits and awareness – and I hope the two shows at the Abbey cinema in Abingdon did just that.

Paul Mayhew-Archer