Meet the pub quizmaster who's raised more than £80,000 for good causes

  • Meet Les Wilkins who has been nominated as one of ITV Meridian's Pride of Britain regional fundraiser of the year.


If your memory goes back far enough you'll remember that a Sunday afternoon staple in front of the telly was a bit of Bullseye.

The Darts-themed TV show was actually taken off air nearly thirty years ago, but in Ramsgate in Kent it lives on.

It's one of the quiz formats that's helped Les Wilkins raise tens of thousands of pounds for charity over a thirty year period.

And the achievement won't win him a speedboat or a caravan, but it has landed him a place on the shortlist in this year's Pride of Britain Awards.

Les is one of ITV Meridian's Pride of Britain Regional Fundraiser of the year nominees.

Thirty years ago after his mother passed away, Les organised a pub quiz inspired by Bullseye.

He would ask the questions, entertaining the locals, as well as raising money for a selection of charities.

Les continues to host a pub quiz as well as a darts quiz, inspired by Bullseye. Credit: ITV Meridian

"I was enjoying entertaining and raising money for charity," Les said.

"I did tons of competitions, pool competitions - anything. And then I finally started on the quizzes themselves, and it started from there.

"I love to see people enjoying it. That's why my questions are set, so they're enjoyable. They can sometimes be tricky, but there's always some questions which are a good laugh.

"It's like a drug to me, it really is.

"You know, I'll get a buzz, I come home, just go walk up the hill from my local and I've got a buzz all the way home - I can't sleep for hours because I'm on an upper."

Les has hosted an unbelievable 640 quizzes over the last three decades and continues to entertain locals with a darts quiz and a traditional pub quiz.

He's already raised a staggering £80,000 for charity, mostly for animal causes.

Les was nominated for the Pride of Britain award by the manager of his family local, Paula Shepherd.

She said: "I've been here 17 years but Les has been coming in here for 50 years and he's just a local hero to me. I just love him so much.

"He not only does the quizzes for me, he does Bullseyes he does race nights. He also just Christmas clubs for the customers to save money with him, and he does organise his day trips out for the pub and things like that.

"So, you know, he really is a star."

Les Wilkins fact-checks all his questions and answers using the internet. Credit: ITV Meridian

The Daily Mirror Pride of Britain Awards celebrates the unsung heroes who go above and beyond to make their communities and the country a better place.

Nominated by the public, the winners come from all walks of life, of all ages, and from all over the country.

They will come together with stars from television for a glittering ceremony in London, broadcast on ITV.

Among them will be two winners from the Meridian region, picked from a shortlist of inspiring nominees.

Each day this week – on our 6pm programme and online – we'll showcase those who are in the running. The winner will be revealed on Friday's programme.


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