Julia's House benefits from Celebrity Mastermind contestant

Patron of the children's hospice, Debra Stephenson, has been on the show

Author: Faye TryhornPublished 19th Feb 2023

Dorset and Wiltshire children's hospice, Julia's House, has got some extra support, thanks to one of their celebrity patrons.

Comedienne and actress Debra Stephenson has taken on the challenge of Celebrity Mastermind, in support of the cause.

She sat in the famous black chair last night (Saturday 18th February) to answer questions on her specialist subject, John Lennon.

Debra's been a long-time supporter of Julia's House children's hospice

She explains why she picked him:

“I have always admired him as a truth seeker and activist for peace - qualities that couldn’t be more relevant today. I started studying transcendental meditation in 2020 and have been practicing ever since, so I was curious to find out more about The Beatles’ experience in India with The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Delving into their story I was most drawn to Lennon; his was a captivating discovery of spirituality and an epic journey in self-improvement.

“Learning about a subject and using recall to answer questions is a great way to ‘tone up’ the mind and most importantly for me, a great exercise in staying calm and focused under pressure.”

Debra then had to go through the General Knowledge as well, in front of quizmaster Clive Myrie.

Debra in the famous black chair in the Celebrity Mastermind studio

She's donated £1,500 from her appearance fee to Julia's House - with the other half going to the Blind Veterans charity.

Martin Edwards, CEO of Julia’s House, said:

“We’re so grateful to Debra for her generosity and her quick-fire answers in the hot-seat. Donations like these make it possible for the most seriously ill children and their families to access the lifeline of support and respite they need at the most challenging of times.”

Debra's been supporting Julia's House for a number of years now and said:

“Julia’s House are really wonderful in the way they continue to support local families through unimaginable challenges. I hope local people will be inspired to do what they can for this children’s hospice, and I hope John Lennon will remind them to be truth-seekers and ‘give peace a chance’ because All you Need is Love!”

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