Merseyside entrepreneur and founder of Wild Thang, Andrew Dwerryhouse urges city region business community to help make the John Haynes Foundation Gala Dinner the biggest and best yet. Tony McDonough reports

Andrew Dwerryhouse is urging his fellow Merseyside business leaders to help make the John Haynes Foundation Gala Dinner the best yet.

Taking place at the Hilton Hotel in Liverpool city centre on Saturday, September 23, the event is a fundraiser that aims to continue the legacy created by John Haynes, founder of the Liverpool Coaching Academy, who died in December 2020.

Last year’s dinner, themed The Greatest Showman, raised an incredible £36,913 for the foundation. This year organisers are hoping to raise even more.

The theme of the evening will be The Great Gatsby, recreating the elegance, charm, and grandeur of the ‘roaring twenties’.

Via his Liverpool Coaching Academy, John Haynes inspired a generation of entrepreneurs, in Merseyside and in other parts of the world. He coined his personal catchphrase “fly with the eagles”.

Wild Thang, the Bootle-based brand marketing specialist, was launched by Andrew with a Prince Trust grant in 1996. He later brought John Haynes into the business to inspire him and his team. Andrew says that has been a major factor in Wild Thang’s growth story.

He said: “For nearly a decade John was a gigantic part of Wild Thang culture and over time became an integral part of our company family, mentoring and coaching our team to help both the team and company to ‘fly with the eagles’.

“John would often say, ‘if you’re going to live, leave a legacy and make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.

“The team and I are proud to be part of making sure his legacy lives on and John’s memory is never erased and simply makes a difference in other people’s lives, especially young people.

“We think John would have especially loved The Great Gatsby Theme so are also excited to be producing all the branded event collateral required for the gala dinner in the evening to make sure everything looks truly world-class.”

In 2021, a number of Liverpool city region business people decided to set up the John Haynes Foundation with the aim of continuing his work and “transforming 1m lives”. They included Andrew and Wild Thang.

For this year’s dinner, Wild Thang will be a platinum sponsor, and Andrew is urging people to buy tickets or consider sponsoring.

READ MORE: Wild Thang to back Prince’s Trust entrepreneurs

He added: “We invite you to offer any support you can and immerse yourself in the world of The John Haynes Foundation and experience the magic of the Gala Dinner. Your presence and support can make a world of difference.

“You can do this by attending the gala, becoming a sponsor, or contributing to the auction and raffle prizes. It will help ensure that the John Haynes Foundation’s mission thrives, touching more lives and spreading the message of empowerment.”

To book tickets click here and for sponsorship and table bookings contact the John Haynes Foundation directly via email: fly@johnhaynes.foundation