User:Dennis The dag Gimes

Dennis the dag Gimes
Dennis was born in London, in 1947. He left school at 14, with no education and with no prospect of getting a job. Dennis managed to survive on the streets til the age of 17, when he joined the Army. Dennis did get a education while serving in the Army,ending up serving 32years of his life in uniform. Dennis is now a security consultant, spending most of his free time working with Military and celebrity charity's. For the last 10 years Dennis has worked for many different charities, including being a Director of The Heritage Foundation, sits on the Wheel a chair Committee of the Variety Club of Great Britain, sits on the committee of The Splash of Pink, the Breast Cancer charity. Dennis is also a Trustee of Soldiering On Through Life Trust, and worked with Robin Gibb on Bomber Command Memorial. On Saturday 23rd February 2013, Dennis was made a Knight of the Order of Saint John, at a ceremony held in Valletta, Malta. Dennis appeared as an extra in many great films, such as; Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back, The Final Conflict, Dracula and S O S Titanic. He also played the bus driver in Last Chance Harvey with Dustin Hoffman, and The Bourne Ultimatum, Starring Matt Damon.

Show business didn’t end there for Dennis, as he then explored television. Some of the shows he worked on are The Professionals, Minder and The Bill, and in 1983 he starred in a commercial for NBC television. For the next ten years, Dennis had many walk on parts for American TV. Also in America, he made his first stage appearance in the play Don’t Drink the Water, by Woody Allen, playing the chef.

His blend of army and entertainment experiences have left him with many anecdotes for his after dinner speaking. Having knowledge of two very different sides of life have also inspired Dennis to become part of various charities and associations, including; The Heritage Foundation, The Grand Order of Water Rats, The Variety Club, The Royal British Legion,  The Aden Veteran Association, The Bomber Command Association, The Police Insignia Collection Association, Concert Artistes Association and The Bud Flanagan Leukemia Fund.

Roger with Queen legend Brian May (PICTURE: DENNIS GIMES)

Sunday July 29,2012 By Marco Giannangeli Have your say(1) SOMETIMES only bear-faced cheek can raise money...and that’s exactly how former soldier Dennis Gimes came to give £10,000 for the Bomber Command Memorial Appeal. He realised the appeal association’s mascot, a teddy bear called Roger, was a photo opportunity in the making and persuaded more than 50 celebrities to pose with it. They included movie stars Ewan McGregor and Ray Winstone, rock legends Brian May and Rick Wakeman and Second World War forces sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn. Also happy to pose was ’Allo ’Allo star Vicki Michelle, president of the Heritage Foundation since the death of Bee Gee Robin Gibb. Dennis, 65, of east London, said: “The Bomber Command Memorial is so important, and I just want to help. I really didn’t have a clue about how to do it. So I just bombarded people with e-mails.” His campaign saw Roger being sent to New Zealand and Canada where prime ministers John Key and Stephen Harper, respectively, were happy to oblige. “Unfortunately,” said Dennis, “no member of the British Government agreed to give the two minutes it would have taken to pose with Roger.” The Bomber Command Memorial is so important, and I just want to help. I really didn’t have a clue about how to do it. So I just bombarded people with e-mails Dennis Gimes Last night John Boyes, financial controller of the appeal, said £500,000 is still needed just to pay for last month’s unveiling ceremony. Perhaps the most conspicuous non-donor is the Ministry of Defence. “We were hoping they would help too, but they haven’t donated a penny, said Dennis.