A RENOWNED speaker and comic who has performed for Rod Stewart and the royal family is to speak at the prestigious awards ceremony being organised by the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

Bob 'The Cat' Bevan is one of the most in-demand after-dinner speakers in the country and he has performed at 71 Premier and Football League dinners and with many of the UK's top comedians including Billy Connolly, Ronnie Corbett and Eric Morecambe.

The award-winning after dinner speaker - whose name reflects his goalkeeping background - is to deliver the after-dinner speech at the Chamber awards 2006, which is due to take place at Birtsmorton Court, near Malvern, on Thursday, June 8.

Mr Bevan's numerous TV and radio appearances have included being presenter of BBC Radio Five's Six-o-Six Show and he has worked with Jim Davidson on the BBC1 Variety Show and with Terry Wogan on Aunty's Bloomers.

"We are really thrilled to have secured Bob Bevan as our after-dinner speaker at the annual Chamber Awards as he is renowned as one of the funniest professional after-dinner speakers in the country," said Lynne Marshall, events co-ordinator at the Chamber of Commerce Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

"While his TV, radio and stage performances read like a showbiz who's who, he is also well-known for being a top corporate comedian, tailoring his act to the audience on the night.

"He loves sport and has appeared a record four times at the Footballer of the Year dinner and twice at the Professional Footballers Association Player of the Year Awards. It promises to be a very entertaining after-dinner speech."

Mr Bevan became a professional speaker in 1980. He played football for West Wickham and Old Wilsonians for 25 years and still plays in veteran games. He also plays cricket and golf.

In 1999 he was flown to Sydney, Australia, to speak at a dinner for England cricket captain Nasser Hussein and he was also hired by Rod Stewart for his father's 80th birthday celebrations.