Politician rises to topless challenge as pub boosts New Journal hamper fund

STRIPPED to the waist and pleading for kisses from women passing in the street, a front-bench Labour councillor makes the kind of public appearance you thought – or at least hoped – you would never see.
But Councillor Theo Blackwell’s I’m A Councillor, Get Me Out Of Here moment was all for a good cause – a double dare which helped the Oxford Arms pub chalk up the largest donation to the New Journal’s Hamper Fund this year.
Teams at the third annual Christmas charity quiz, held by the pub in Camden High Street, Camden Town on Monday night, dug deep to raise a bumper £882 for the collection.
A giant cheque was handed over immediately after the quiz to grateful New Journal staff.
Blushing Cllr Blackwell, who until April was the council’s deputy leader, earned himself the dashing new nickname Tarzan during a half-time charity dare in which he was asked by pub boss Pat Logue to go bare-chested in the street and plant a kiss on the first woman he could find.
After several rejections, he finally found a willing – albeit confused – victim, securing £150 in donations for the charity fund in the process.
The same dare was completed speedily by New Journal news editor Dan Carrier and Marcus Wolthers, manager of bookmakers Paddy Power in Camden High Street, generous donors of quiz night prizes.
The quiz, considered one of the hardest in Camden Town, was eventually won by a brainbox team known as The Dark Destroyers.
A team of press officials from Camden Council were also among the 80 contestants.
Mr Logue, whose pub served up bangers, beans and chips for contestants, said: “It all goes to a good cause. It gets bigger each year. Next year we are determined to go past the grand.”
The fundraiser has spiralled in popularity since the first festive quiz at the pub in 2002. On Monday contestants struggled to find tables and seats.
The yearly Hamper Fund allows the New Journal to help out the elderly, for whom Christmas can be the loneliest time of the year. Hampers are a touching reminder that they have not been forgotten. Single mothers and families living on the breadline also receive gifts.
But even with the Oxford Arms’ bumper cheque, we still need donations, no matter how small. Please send them to: Camden Journal Hamper Fund, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, Camden Town, London, NW1 9DR.