Former Wilkinson chairman Guest Speaker for Annual Dinner

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 11th Aug 2009

Guest speaker Tony Wilkinson

The guest speaker for the Grantham & Stamford Liberal Democrats annual dinner on Friday, 27 November at the Gallery restaurant, New College, Stamford, will be Tony Wilkinson, ex-chairman, Wilkinson Hardware Stores Ltd.

An enthusiastic and life long member of the Liberal Democrat party Tony Wilkinson stood for parliament for the old Liberal Party in 1970 and 1974.

Born in Leicester, he was educated at Repton and served in the Royal Navy on fishery protection during national service for two years from 1955.

He joined the family firm, Wilkinson Hardware Stores, in 1960 as branch manager after three years with F.W. Woolworth. In 1971 Mr Wilkinson became chairman of Wilkinson Hardware Stores, a role he held until retiring in January 2005.

He is Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire and was High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for a year from 2005 until 2006. He is also chairman of the Grantham Canal Partnership, a national trustee of Sue Ryder Care, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Science.

He has a wide range of interests with cricket as his favourite sport, and enjoys reading, writing, and listening to music. He is a great lover of the English countryside and has custodianship of 30 hectares of woodland.

To book for the dinner please phone Bryan Withnall on 01529 497 377.

Tickets are £25.00 per person. Proceeds for election campaign. Book early to avoid disappointment.

Please make cheques payable to Grantham & Stamford Liberal Democrats and post to Bryan Withnall, 5 Church Lane, Folkingham, Lincs. NG34 0SD.