A summer garden party– with live music and readings- is to be held next month to celebrate the life and work of Fenland author David Self.

Mr Self, who died in June 2008, aged 67, will be commemorated at a charity event held in the garden of the Coates Road, Eastrea, home he shared with his partner Majid Jawad.

Tickets for the event on June 7– to include food, drink and entertainment- went on sale this week at £5. All proceeds will go the Guide Dogs charity.

Mr Jawad said: “I’m hoping for a large turn out and we have an amazing amount of support from the community. Those taking part have all given of their time generously and I promise no one will be disappointed with the range of musical entertainment on offer.”

The full programme is being finalised but Mr Jawad is confident that, with ticket sales and a raffle, the day should raise £1,000 for Guide Dogs.

Mr Self died in June 2008, after battling liver disease and cancer for some time.

‘Gates’ open at 4pm and the evening entertainment will begin at 4.45pm.

“People have already been very generous, and I hope to receive more draw prizes and sell even more tickets,” said Mr Jawad. “I really hope the community will get involved”.

Mr Self, who wrote the questions for TV’s Sale of the Century, took part in one of the country’s first civil ceremonies for gay couple.

He was for many years a columnist on the Cambs Times and Wisbech Standard, as well as contributing to several national titles.

The openly gay writer and broadcaster died at Peterborough Hospital after battling liver disease and cancer for some time.

In 2005, he and his partner Majid Jawad tied the knot in a civil ceremony in Cambridgeshire just days after the new Civil Partnership Act came into force.

Mr Self was outspoken in his support of the rights of gay couples and on the eve of his civil ceremony wrote about how “attitudes had changed since the day when I could have been imprisoned for what I did in private with a consenting friend.”

Mr Self was a former producer for BBC Schools Broadcasting. He later became a full-time writer with an extensive list of publications, principally on religion, to his name. He regularly reviewed for and contributed to the TES

* To buy a ticket for the summer garden party call Mr Jawad on 01733 205399, or 07475 057387