past events:
Quiz Night 2012
Following on from last year’s successful
event, we decided to organise another Quiz Night to raise branch
funds. Clearly aware of the current economic downturn, we were
aware that everyone is having to tighten their belt and watch
the pennies so, although hopeful, we did not really believe we
could top last year’s total of £981.11p. When promoting the
quiz I cheekily raised the bar and suggested that we should aim
higher this year and try to top £1000 but could we I
wondered.
So, the Quiz Squad got to work – organising
the hall, booking the amazingly brilliant Quiz Master, ordering
90 portions of fish and chips, selling the tickets, stocking the
bar to name just a few of the many jobs we had ahead of us.
The night before the quiz a phone call
resulted in the last table being sold – things were looking good
we were sold out – let the fun begin!
We all arrived at the Elvetham Heath
Community Centre in Fleet to spruce it up for the evening, a
table bursting with wonderful raffle prizes, a Champagne String
tantalisingly in reach for one lucky winner, balloons festooned
from every corner, a bar stocked better than the local pub and
we were done! We sat and chatted waiting for the evening to
commence all so keen to raise as much money as we could but also
very aware that times are difficult and that perhaps our target
figure was a little too high in the clouds.
I should have had more faith in the 91 people
who stepped out on a chilly February evening to test their
knowledge and rack their brains – they were amazingly good
sports one and all and embraced the evening wholeheartedly!
Raffle tickets were selling like hot cakes, the Champagne String
was sold out, everyone took part in the Heads and Tails fun (you
had to be there to understand the rules of that game!) and the
bar served non-stop so much so that we had to send out for more
supplies half-way through the evening!
Brains were quizzed and taxed as the
questions kept flying, scribbled notes, hushed voices and
whispers, shouts of “I’ve got it!” occasionally erupting from a
corner of the hall and then the results – the Barford Brainiacs
crowned the MND 2012 Quiz Winners – well done to you!
Formal thanks were given as the evening came
to an end and of course everyone asking “well, did we do it….did
we raise the £1000 target?”……all I could say at that point was
“I think we are very close!”
Well, now I can say with a huge thank you and
such enormous gratitude to everyone who helped organise as well
as help on the night, and especially to those who took part in
the quiz, that we raised a staggering £1121.00.
Roll on 2013…….:
J
Karen Ovenden
Emsworth - Basingstoke Relay Challenge 2008
For
the second year running, the North East Hants and Portsmouth
branches of the MND Assocation have been sponsored by the
committee of the Emsworth to Basingstoke Relay Challenge. This
year the event took place on Saturday 17th May 2008.
The
format was the same as in previous years with teams of six
runners competing to see who could cover the 50 miles from
Emsworth to Basingstoke in the shortest time. A combination of
speed, map reading skills and organisation are required to
complete the course.
Cyd Hill,
the Challenge organiser, explained that the event has been a
regular feature of the Hampshire Athletics calendar for 12 years
and that once again it had attracted teams from across the
county.
This year the race finished at the village hall in Cliddesden
where refreshments awaited both the finishers and the race
marshals. The photos show some of the competitors at various
stages of the race.
Open
Garden 2008
For the third year running, Hilary Bridgman kindly opened her
beautiful garden to the general public at Turrill House,
Southerton, Overton to raise funds towards research into Motor
Neurone Disease.
The Garden was open on the afternoons of Wednesday 11th
June and Sunday 15th June. As well as viewing her
magnificent garden, visitors were able to purchase a range of
plants and refreshments. The event raised more than £1600 for
the Association.
Hilary plans to open her garden again in June 2009. Full details
will be published on the Branch website and in the Newsletter.
Thumbprint Ball Report:
27 November 2006 by Esther Camp
I was invited to the ball because of my involvement in the new
awareness posters. The date is 27th November 2006, the time 4pm
and myself, Sue and my dad were getting all doled up in our posh
frocks and suits ready for the trip to London . We left at about
5pm and had a pretty good journey.
We arrived at The Brewery and were greeted by a snow machine and
a very polite gentleman who showed us where to park right
outside the entrance. We were then escorted to the door and he
said “I hope you ladies have a wonderful evening ”
In the entrance hall we gave our names and were escorted
upstairs to the main hall where we met someone from head office
. They pulled back a set of curtains to reveal the dining area
it was beautiful. We then had to make our way to our tables. I
have to admit when we found our table and found out we had
Lembit Öpik MP, Prince Francesco Ruspoli and Richard Shelton (Dr
Adam Forsyth from Emmerdale )were sat with us I felt a little
nervous but they made us very welcome and that soon passed.
Other celebrities who attended were Edwina Curry, Cheeky Girls,
Benedict Cumberbatch and Gillian Bevan.
We had a lovely meal and then the auction began, it raised about
£25,000 a great sum thanks to all who contributed or donated on
the evening. Richard Shelton then took the stage and sang a
couple of songs one was My Way that he dedicated to his mum who
had died from MND I don’t know how I didn’t cry the tears were
there. Entertainment was then provided by the Cheeky Girls and a
band and everyone danced or visited the roulette table or
chocolate fountain yummmm.
At 11.30 we had to head for home so ended our wonderful evening.
Big thanks to all who made it possible for me to attend
especially Louise and everyone who attended and contributed to
the success of the evening.
Ironman report:
Sunday 20 August 2006
Tony Baxter took on the challenge of a life time - Ironman UK.
For the uninitiated this means swimming 2.4miles in open water,
followed by 112 miles on the bike (with over 7,500 feet of
climbing) and then a full marathon to wrap matters up!! Was he
mad? Of course he was - no sane person would ever contemplate
such a feet of endurance. Why did he do it? To raise money for
the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Tony's father John died
in May 2002 after a prolonged battle with MND.
Read Tony's race report (doc).
Congratulations Tony for money raised.
