The Old Crown in Great Bookham to host Bank Holiday charity celebration in support of local charity Billy’s Battalion

The Old Crown in Great Bookham, a Heartwood Inn, is coming together with the local community on August Bank Holiday weekend to raise awareness and vital funds for Billy’s Battalion, a charity supporting children and families affected by DIPG, a rare and aggressive form of childhood brain cancer.

The charity was founded in memory of local four-year-old Billy Thompson, who tragically lost his life to DIPG. Billy’s story has touched the heart of the Bookham community, and the event, Billy Wears The Crown, will celebrate his life while helping to raise funds for research and support for other children affected by the disease.

Billy’s mum and co-founder of the charity, Ellie Thompson, said: “DIPG took Billy from us when he was just four years old, and there is still no cure. Everything we do through Billy’s Battalion is about changing that for the children and families who come after us. We’d love to see as many people as possible at The Old Crown over the weekend. Come and have fun, raise a glass to Billy and help us raise as much as we possibly can for research into this devastating disease.”

Taking place across the entire Bank Holiday weekend, The Old Crown will be encouraging donations to Billy’s Battalion, supported with a packed programme of entertainment for the whole community to enjoy.

The weekend will kick off on Friday with live music from 7.30pm, alongside a silent auction featuring fantastic donations from local businesses. On Saturday, guests can enjoy an evening of stand-up comedy and magic from 5pm-8.30pm, alongside a brewery pop-up.

Sunday will be the main ‘Billy Wears The Crown’ celebration, with a family-friendly day featuring face painting, superheroes, fairground games, a pop-up bar, DJ, fancy dress competition and plenty of kids’ entertainment.

The Bank Holiday weekend will round off on Monday with live music from 2pm, giving the community one final opportunity to come together, enjoy the festivities and support a very special local cause.

Lukas Ackermann, General Manager at The Old Crown, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be hosting this event and to support such a special charity that means so much to the Bookham community. Billy’s story has touched so many people locally, and we wanted to create a weekend that celebrates his life while bringing the community together to have fun and raise as much money and awareness as possible.”

The event is a celebration of Billy, the Bookham community and the power of coming together to make a difference, with all donations helping Billy’s Battalion continue its work supporting families and raising awareness and funding for DIPG research.

Ellie added: “We feel incredibly lucky to live in a community that continues to remember Billy and stand behind us in everything we’re trying to achieve in his name. Billy was such a huge character, so a whole weekend of music, superheroes, silliness and people coming together feels like a very fitting way to celebrate him.”

For more information visit oldcrowngreatbookham.com or billysbattalion.org.

Notes to editors

Heartwood Collection is the Group that operates 36 Heartwood Inns pubs and 13 Brasserie Blanc restaurants across the UK. Heartwood Collection’s current site portfolio is as follows:

Inns

The Barley Mow – Englefield Green, Surrey

The Black Horse – Thame, Oxfordshire

The Black Horse – Reigate, Surrey

The Black Swan - Henley-in-Arden, Warwickshire

The Boot – Histon, Cambridgeshire

The Britannia – Parkstone, Dorset

The British Queen – Locksbottom, Kent

The Cricketers – Cobham, Surrey

The Coat & Bear - Newbury, Berkshire

The George & Dragon - Marlow, Buckinghamshire

The Hare – Old Redding, Harrow Weald, Middlesex

The Highwayman – Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire

The Jobber’s Rest – Upminster, Essex

The Jolly Farmer – Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire

The King’s Arms – Prestbury, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

The King’s Head – Teddington, Middlesex

The March Hare – Guildford, Surrey

The Oaks – Highcliffe, Christchurch, Dorset

The Old Crown – Great Bookham, Surrey

The Plough & Harrow - Long Ditton, Surrey

The Prince of Wales - East Barnet, London

The Queen’s Head – Weybridge, Surrey

The Quill & Scholar - Lichfield, Staffordshire

The Ragged Robin - Godalming, Surrey

The Red Deer – Horsham, West Sussex

The Red Lion - Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire

The Rising Sun - Reading, Berkshire

The Ropemaker - Emsworth, Hampshire

The Royal Forest - Epping Forest, Greater London

The Sun Inn – Chobham, Surrey

The White Bear – Ruislip, Middlesex

The White Hart - Lewes, East Sussex

The White Hart - Lymington, Hampshire

The White Horse - Dorking, Surrey

The Woodman - Southgate, London

The Potter’s Heron - Ampfield, Hampshire

Upcoming openings

The Meadow Lark - Trumpington, Cambridgeshire. Opening 2026.

The Muddy Fox - Solihull, West Midlands. Opening 2026.

Brasserie Blanc Restaurants

London – Chancery Lane

London – Southbank

London – Threadneedle Street

Beaconsfield

Bournemouth

Cheltenham

Chichester

Hale Barns

Leeds

Milton Keynes

Oxford

Portsmouth

Winchester

For more information:

For any media enquiries please contact press@heartwoodcollection.com.

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