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The fan club was established the day after the Birds and the Bees won Eurovision by Terry Tinsel (formerly known as Mark Bellvue until he changed his name by Deed Poll in 1982). Based in his family two-bedroom semi in Surbiton, it is firmly on record that he set up the club at the request of his ageing mother whilst he was resting between acting jobs, "but things soon spiralled out of all our greatest expectations". At the height of the bands popularity, the membership was over 20,000 members, with regular monthly newsletters, but until the recent revival, the fortunes of the club had taken a down turn and was considering changing its name to the Chantelle Fan Club, and as Terry is quoted as saying "It is a shame that the band do not receive the recognition that they deserve, but in Chantelle, we can still see part of the band live on; it is the natural progression". The life work of Terry (and his mother, who is still the club secretary), he is inordinately proud of the club and lists it on his CV as his main achievement in life, with 'third pedestrian' in two episodes of The Good Life coming a close second. The club is looking forward to an increased interest in the band and has had several thousand balloons printed in readiness of the projected rise in membership, and although Terry is currently indisposed due to a Community Service Order, his mother said recently "it isn't his fault that his medication wasn't strong enough, he's just a little delicate, and people shouldn't upset him. I'll continue with the cause and will be ready for him when he takes over again after the 60 days are up". |
