Estate agency trainer and consultant Julian O’Dell and his wife are hosting their annual fundraising music festival next month.

Catfest, named after Julian’s wife Cat and supported by a whole host of highly regarded property industry businesses including Rightmove, Kerfuffle, Eurolink, Acaboom, Reapit and TM training & development, as well as a number of estate agents including Manning Stainton, Drivers and Norris, Elevation and Polkadot Homes, raised over £45,000 for Action Against Cancer last year.

The aim is to beat that figure this year. Part of Catfest’s success is that it features an auction of “money can’t buy” items which capture the imagination and loosen attendees’ purse strings.

To this end, Julian has managed to secure a selection of guitars which he has had signed by a number of renowned musicians.

A mint condition 1990’s Gibson Les Paul signed by Queen legend Brian May and a Dobro Hound Dog, the guitar to feature on the cover of Dire Straits’ album “Brothers in Arms”, autographed by Mark Knopfler, are two star lots.

In addition to these, a black Fender acoustic features the signatures of Robert Fripp and Tony Levin of King Crimson, Bruce Foxton of The Jam, Jake Burns of Stiff Little Fingers, Gaz Coombes of Supergrass, Nik Kershaw, Marc Almond, Midge Ure, Bill Nelson, Nick Lowe and Barrie Masters of Eddie & The Hot Rods.

This element of Julian’s fundraising has been so successful that he has acquired another guitar which has already been signed by Dave Hill of Slade, with a host of others having agreed to do so over coming days.

Alongside the guitars, Julian has managed to find time to get his pencils out and draw pictures of the guitar signatories which they have also autographed. These are A4 framed originals and are also up for sale, with all proceeds going to the charity.

Other auction lots include an England 2003 rugby shirt signed by World Cup winning captain Martin Johnson, an England Euro 96 football shirt signed by maestro Paul Gascoigne, a London experience (including theatre tickets, dinner and an overnight stay at boutique hotel Ten Manchester Street) and a round of golf for four on a championship course at Woburn Golf Club.

If any of our esteemed readership want to get involved in bidding or would like more information on the auction lots, get in touch with Julian direct at julianodell@live.co.uk or on 07718 634235.

The other way of helping raise money is to buy Catfest raffle tickets or donate items for the raffle.

As Julian himself might well say . . . marvellous.