HEREFORD will be one of the first places in the UK to see the most anticipated film of the year, with a champagne gala screening that gets a special silver celebration off to a corking start.

The new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace will be shown at the city’s Odeon cinema just 24 hours after its star-studded opening in London, and the dress-to-kill do will put St Michael’s Hospice in the spotlight.

The deal has the hospice’s silver anniversary year in its sights, hitting home through Hollywood’s Kington connection, where international PR mastermind Peter Dunne plotted the charity coup.

Peter has taken care of publicity for big pictures before and helped bring a special gala screening of Shrek 2 to Hereford in 2004. But sealing the Bond deal through Sony sets up one of the city’s biggest ever fundraising events.

Helen Cotterell, hospice fundraising consultant, couldn’t believe the offer when it came through. She worked with Peter on the Shrek 2 screening when championing Hereford’s Haven breast cancer therapy centre.

If that was quite a night, Bond is going to be even better, says Helen.

“This is just such an exciting and high-profile event to kickstart the hospice’s silver celebrations planned for next year. I can’t wait,” said Helen.

Quantum has its star-studded premiere in Leicester Square on October 29 and next day it is in Hereford for what is billed as a Regional Charity Gala Screening.

With none of the cast expected, everyone else will have a chance to shine at the champagne reception before the show.

The audience will also get a glimpse of what went on behind the scenes from special guest James Grant, the film’s chief locations manager.

All the event needs now are heroes of its own to step up, with Helen wanting to hear from any county companies willing to sponsor the screening. Don’t call 007 but 07775 751 122.