Sports and entertainment stars are teaming up to support a new charity in memory of legendary English cricketer Bob Willis.

His protagonist Bob Dylan is among those who support the Bob Willis Fund, which aims to raise awareness and fund for research to improve prostate cancer detection and diagnosis.

Headingley 1981 hero and sky sports expert Willis died at the age of 70 in December 2019.

His wife Lauren Clarke and brother David Willis started the fund, and he said, “We can never accept that Bob was taken so young.”

“Their loss is devastating.

“One man dies of prostate cancer every 45 minutes in the UK.

“We knew we had to use Bob’s legacy to try to keep other families suffering like us.”

Willis added Dylan as a middle name at the age of 16 and became an American singer-songwriter after seeing him at a 1965 concert.

Dylan agreed to become an honorary sponsor of the fund and said, “Bob Willis was a great player who moved very quickly.

“I am happy to help them keep their flame alive and their cause alive. “

Music veteran Bob Dylan became an honorary sponsor of the fund – Bob Willis was such a fan that he added Dylan as a middle name

Lyricist Sir Tim Rice, a friend of the rhythm thrower and a great fan of cricket, is also a patron, and his ambassadors include former Prime Ministers Sir John Major, Sir Ian Botham, Michael Atherton, David Lloyd and Michael Holding.

Sir Tim said: ‘My family has been severely affected by prostate cancer, so I appreciate for the first time how important it is to support the Bob Willis Fund to fight the disease, or at least limit its rate do. Rating. “

On 13 July, fans attending the England-Pakistan one-day international were invited to dress in blue at an event with the #BlueforBob hashtag.

He was also asked to share the video on social media with the hashtag #BowlLikeBob to mimic his famous action, with his long haul and flapping arms, which Graham Gooch called “off a runway Was trying to leave. “

Cricket fans are invited to share their print efforts online, with the best being shown on Sky.

Lauren Clarke, wife of Bob Willis, stands next to the Prostate Cancer UK logo

The main beneficiary of this year’s efforts will be Prostate Cancer UK to support a UK-based research project.

Its director, Dr Matthew Hobbs, said: “We are proud to work with the Bob Willis Fund and are delighted that Prostate Cancer UK is the primary beneficiary of Blue for Bob Day.

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, and the money raised will be absolutely vital to help us reduce the harm it causes.”

To donate, please visit BobWillisFund.org.