Premiere prize on offer at The Dukes

A Lancaster florist who attended the glittering premiere of the latest Harry Potter film has donated her souvenirs to The Dukes for a special prize draw.

Deborah John, who has run Dalton Square Florists for ten years, rubbed shoulders with the stars of this summer’s movie blockbuster Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 when it premiered at The Odeon, Leicester Square, in London on July 7.

Deborah and her 20-year-old daughter, Naia, have attended all but one of the premieres for the Harry Potter film series, thanks to a family friend who is a producer at Warner Bros Pictures.

“Naia is the same age as the main actors in the films and we’ve met Daniel Radcliffe several times. He’s a lovely young man who’s always happy to chat and is very down to earth,” said Deborah.

“I’ve read all the Harry Potter books and really enjoyed them. They started my daughter’s interest in reading too.”

Naia, who was educated at Casterton  and Lancaster Girls Grammar Schools, now studies at the London College of Fashion.

Mother and daughter joined other friends on the red carpet which, for the first time, stretched all the way from Trafalgar Square to the cinema.

“I’m not a very starry person but it has been a great opportunity to attend these premieres. The films have been fantastic and so have the after show parties,” said Deborah.

The florist has donated several rare souvenirs of the memorable premiere to The Dukes. They include an invite, programme, and map of the after show venue, Old Billingsgate.

These, along with lots of other Harry Potter related goodies including some of the huge film posters currently adorning The Dukes, will go to the lucky winner of a prize draw being held at the Lancaster cinema which is screening the final Potter film until July 28, the closing date for the draw.

Anyone wishing to enter should pick up a form from The Dukes box office.

Deborah said: “I just wanted to raise awareness of all the good events that The Dukes offers such as screening this final Harry Potter film. I was very upset to hear of the funding cuts affecting The Dukes as it creates so many fantastic memories for children and is very important to Lancaster.”

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is being screened at The Dukes Cinema four times a day until July 28 and the venue has been transformed into Hogwarts for the run. Tickets are priced £5.50/£4.50 concessions.

For more information, call The Dukes Box Office on 01524 598500 or www.dukes-lancaster.org