Sir John Mortimer hosts a Mortimer's Miscellany as a fundraiser for the special care baby unit at John Radcliffe Hospital, writes REG LITTLE

Gardener Stephen Relton did not have to dig far into his address book when he needed help in organising a fundraising event for a hospital baby care unit. Stephen simply had to turn to Sir John Mortimer, one of his famous clients.

There was, of course, good advice in spades. But more than that, the playwright and author planted the seeds of an idea that will come to fruition with a not-to-be-missed show at Abingdon's Amey Theatre next Friday, April 28.

Sir John, who today celebrates his 83rd birthday, agreed to host one of his celebrated evenings of stories, recollections and readings from plays and novels.

Mortimer's Miscellany is usually performed with a couple of showbusiness pals. But the date at the theatre at Abingdon School will also feature a guest appearance from the former Deep Purple keyboard player Jon Lord.

Sir John's other guests will include the actors Joanna David, who has appeared in classic television productions of Bleak House and Pride and Prejudice, and Rohan McCullough, who is something of a Mortimer's Miscellany regular.

Stephen said the original plan was to try to organise a gardeners' question time. But he is delighted how his idea to raise money for SSNAP (Support for Sick Newborn and their Parents) has grown into a feast of poetry and prose.

Stephen and his wife Sara, of Little Milton, both saw at first hand the work of the special care baby unit at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital when their son Nathan was born last September.

Stephen, 40, said: "My wife Sara suffered very suddenly from pre-eclampsia and gave birth to our son two months early. Nathan was born weighing only 2lbs 10oz. He spent the next two months in the special care baby unit and, initially, he needed help with his breathing and was too small to feed. He also suffered from a stomach infection, jaundice, anaemia and a low blood cell count.

"During the time Nathan was in hospital, we have seen the doctors and staff work wonders rescuing both him and many other very tiny, sick babies from a very shaky start in life.

"Happily, he now looks and behaves like any other baby of his age. We cannot thank the JR staff enough because, without them, we would not have our son today."

To begin with, Stephen, who previously was employed as assistant manager at Waterperry Gardens in South Oxfordshire, thought of hosting a fundraising question-and-answer session. Then it was suggested that he should recruit a celebrity to act as questionmaster to pull in more people. Stephen said: "When I mentioned it to John, he thought for a moment, and said, 'Why don't I put on one of my gigs?'"

Stephen is now hoping that Mortimer's Miscellany will raise £10,000 for the unit. It is now estimated that one in ten babies born at the JR need the support of the special care unit.

Sir John , who lives in Turville Heath, said several of his friends, like Stephen, had also benefited from the unit's work.

He said: "Stephen is a brilliant gardener, I would say a genius, who has worked at my home for three or four years.

"I knew it had been a terrible worry for him. But his baby is now fine because he was so well looked after. I am glad to help."

For local audiences, it offers a rare opportunity to see a national treasure and great raconteur in action, although Sir John has been keeping busy in recent months.

The former barrister recently completed a new Rumpole novel, Rumpole and the Reign of Terror, which will be published in the autumn.

He is now helping oversee a new production of A Voyage Around My Father, his play about his blind, brilliant, cantankerous barrister father. The revival will be opening in June at London's Donmar Warehouse, starring Derek Jacobi. As Sir John cheerfully told me, his close friend and one of his Abingdon co-stars, Joanna David, will be appearing in Voyage Around My Father playing his mother.

He also continues to perform in Mortimer's Miscellany, often to raise money for charity. After the Amey Theatre production, he will be appearing in another fundraiser at the King's Head in Islington on April 30, again supported by Jon Lord. For it turns out that SirJohn also happens to be a close friend of the the ex-Deep Purple man and was a guest at Jon Lord's holiday home in Minorca earlier this month. In fact, the unlikely pair are such buddies that the new Rumpole book will be dedicated to the legendary rock keyboard man, who now concentrates on playing classical piano.

Stephen also works as a gardener at Jon Lord's house at Fawley, near Henley. In July, Lord will be at the Henley Festival, appearing with a full, all-star rock band and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

At the fundraising Abingdon concert there will also be music from local players Clive Conway on the flute and Samantha Rowe on the cello.

Tickets for the concert are priced at £21, with all the proceeds going to SSNAP. Tickets are available from the Amey Hall box office on 01235 849063, mornings only, and the Oxford Playhouse on 01865 305305.