Meral’s big birthday hope
Fan’s year-long campaign to get Gary Barlow to attend her birthday party as guest of honour
It’s a month until Meral Dawe’s 40th birthday bash and she hopes a special guest will make it her Greatest Day
It’s exactly a month until Meral Dawe’s top secret 40th birthday bash and she hopes a very special guest will make it her Greatest Day.
There’s not a day goes by that Meral doesn’t have a smile on her face listening to one of Take That hits.
Last year, Gary Barlow attended milestone birthdays of fans but the 39-year-old isn’t due to celebrate her 40th until December 18 next month.
“I handed him an invite to my birthday party when we queued to see him outside The Girls show,” said Meral.
“I told him that I’d really like him to come and I mentioned it again when I met him at HMV signing. He said he has a lot on this year so he can’t promise anything.”
Meral has followed the band since she was 14 years old and will Never Forget seeing Take That perform in Scarborough. She’s also travelled across the country to see the band on tour and she fittingly went to see the Three tour three times in Manchester, Sheffield and London.
Having seen TV talent show Let It Shine filmed live she’s followed its journey and has now seen The Band - a mu- sical by Tim Firth with music from Take That.
Gary made the journey to the Yorkshire Coast to surprise Filey singer Tyler Smith for the hit show this year. And Meral is Pray(ing) that he will surprise her too.
“If I was talking to Gary now I’d tell him that I missed out on the milestone birthdays last year and if he does them again next year I’ll miss out on the chance again,” said Meral.
“You’re what makes me happy and there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t listen to Take That and it doesn’t put a smile on my face.”
Meral is keeping the party’s location a secret and even her closest friends and family won’t know until the day before - but Gary has already been told. “I believe in fate and I just have this feeling he might appear I have this hope that he might just come.”