CALLS FOR ROBERT WINSOR HONOR

By Humphrey Carter THE director of Real Golf de Bendinat, Jorge Pando, yesterday paid tribute to the charity work British resident Robert Winsor has carried out for disabled children in Majorca over the past seven years, calling for the Balearics to officially recognise him for his efforts. Earlier this week, Winsor held his seventh celebrity charity golf tournament in Majorca and raised a record 156.000 euros. Pando said, for the club, “it is a great honour to be involved again this year. None of us expected to raise so much money. “I have known Robert and Maria for many years. A few years ago we honoured him by making him an honorary member of the club in recognition of his work, but I think the time has come for Majorca to officially recognise the hard work he is doing for the local disabled children. “Some people think that because the golf tournament is organised by a Briton and involves mainly British celebrities, that the money goes to charities in the UK, but that's not the case. “Every single cent and euro goes to local charities in Majorca. “He should be made an illustrious son of Majorca or given a medal by the authorities. After all this year, the tournament was given the full backing by Palma city council and the Balearic government,” said Pando. The annual tournament which is played at the Real Golf de Bendinat with the gala dinner held at the Santa Ponsa Country club, says Pando, raises more money than any other charity event in Spain and quite possibly in Europe. “There are many charities which raise large sums of money, but over a long period of time, Robert manages to raise all this in just three-days, it's astonishing,” he said. “This year there were 56 golfers, including the 16 celebrities playing, and, on average, each player generated 3.000 euros. “What is more, the charity takes care of the celebtries' flights and bed and breakfast accommodation, they have to pay for the rest. “But we always incvite their wives or partners and that also adds to the event,” he said. “But there is so much belief in what Robert is doing, companies and individuals from all over the world giving prizes for the gala raffle and auction,” said Pando yesterday. Over the next few weeks, Winsor and his team will start talking to the ten charities they help on the island to find out what equipment and material they need. In the meantime, there is talk of Winsor staging a one-day celebrity event at the London Golf Club, which Bendinat Group owns in the UK, before organising next year's event in Majorca. “We have to start planning in October, the event is so large it takes months to organise,” said Pando, “but none of us complain because it is all for a wonderful cause.”