Martin Bell to talk at Cambridgeshire Institute of Directors' annual dinner in Cambridge

The IoD will hold its prestigious event at St John's College.

The ‘Man in the White Suit’ will speak at the prestigious black tie annual dinner for the Cambridgeshire Institute of Directors (IoD).

Martin Bell will talk about his time as the BBC’s foreign affairs correspondent and how he announced that he was leaving the BBC to run for Parliament just 24 days before the 1997 election – and successfully ousted Neil Hamilton from his seat in Tatton, Cheshire. He will also discuss his role as a UNICEF ambassador at the dinner, being held at St John’s College on Thursday September 21.

A former pupil of The Leys School in Cambridge, he went on to King’s College and achieved a first class degree in English.

And he was pleased to hear the IoD dinner is supporting The Papworth Trust, the disability charity, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

“The Papworth Trust, which enables the disabled, is an excellent cause and I am delighted that the IoD is supporting it,” he said.

The Cambridge Independent is backing the event and has donated a behind-the-scenes tour of our printing press in Milton and a souvenir front page as a prize for the raffle in aid of the charity.

Branch administrator Sharon Scotcher said would be pleased to hear from those coming to the dinner or anyone unable to join us who would like to support the chariy by donating a raffle prize.

She said: “I would like to thank the Cambridge Independent publisher Iliffe Media and The Varsity Hotel for their support.”

Guests can look forward to prosecco on arrival on the college’s private lawns, close to the Bridge of Sighs followed by dinner in the wonderful 16th-century dining hall, where a college signature dish will be on the menu.

IoD members can book tickets at iod.com/events. Early-bird tickets are £75+VAT for members and £89+ VAT for guests joining them.

Contact Sharon at admin.cambridgeshire@iod.net or call 07739 657939.