Veteran Banbury pub quiz master raises thousands of pounds for charity to help fight dementia

Bryan Talbot has been hosting pub quiz events in and around Banbury for the past 40 years and in that time has raised more than £20,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society charity.

Known locally as ‘Quiz Master Bryan’, the 85-year-old former professional photographer has recently handed over a cheque for £11,000 and has no intention of slowing down.

Bryan, who ran over 30 fundraising quizzes last year, said: “I first started doing quizzes 40 years ago for the Chipping Norton Lions Club raising funds for their different charities.

"When my wife was diagnosed with dementia 11 years ago, I decided, along with the couple who ran the Saye and Sele Arms in Broughton, to support Alzheimer’s Society to find a cure. I now have several pubs where I run my quizzes and I was delighted to recently hand over a cheque for £11,000 to Alzheimer’s Society.”

Bryan’s wife of 56 years, Sheila, and her battle with dementia are the main inspiration for Bryan’s continued effort in creating quizzes, raising money, and raising awareness about the syndrome.

He said: “Sheila was a big businesswoman in the world of training and mixed with high-up people from all sorts of organisations. Life is rather different now and I’m very grateful to Regina and Herneyta, who helped to look after Sheila so that we could present the charity with our donation.

“I could not achieve my fundraising without the help and support of the local pubs. They all love Shelia to bits, and I appreciate how they have all got time for her. I would say she helps me in raising quiz money by being well-liked."

One of Bryan’s boasts is that in the four decades he has organised pub quiz events, he has never paid for a quiz online, instead spending time researching and creating unique quizzes for each pub.

Bryan said: “I do quizzes for three main reasons: 1) to keep my brain active and to raise money for Alzheimer’s Society 2) to get customers into the pubs on a slack night and 3) being a 24/7 carer, I need a social life. I will continue to do quizzes all the time my brain will allow it.

“I’m eternally grateful to Simon and Louise at The Elephant and Castle in Bloxham, Harry Dickson at The Roebuck Inn in Drayton and The White Horse in King’s Sutton, Nat Shepard at The Bell Inn in Ladbroke, Tony and Shani Watts at The Coach and Horses in Adderbury and Danny and Liz McGeehan formerly at The Saye and Sele Arms in Broughton for hosting me.”

Alzheimer’s Society community fundraiser Georgia Thornton has thanked Bryan for his incredible fundraising. She said: “We are so grateful that Bryan has continued to give his time and energy to support Alzheimer’s Society. Each hour people generously give to fundraise for us, every event they take part in, every pound they donate, they're making a life-changing difference to people living with dementia.

“There are over 9,410 people living with dementia in Oxfordshire. But we can’t reach everyone without the continued support of our incredible fundraisers like Bryan. We can’t thank him and all the pubs that took part enough.”