On November 15th the Hayling Island Businessmen’s Club sponsored it’s annual Christmas afternoon tea for senior citizens at Sinah Warren.

The Sinah staff were on hand to provide a first class Christmas welcome with loverly entertainment and a fine sing song to follow.

The club hosted the event for nearly 300 senior citizens from around Hayling, its residential care homes and organisations for the elderly. Every one of the guests enjoyed the event and even participated in the sing song. The twelve days of Christmas song became a singing dual to rival any talent contest as the guests were split into twelve groups to belt out their particular ‘day’. The results were hilarious and the sound incredible.

The afternoon started at 2pm, and the entertainment provided by Sinah Warren Entertainments group consisted of 45 minutes of singing and dancing to songs from various spy films, particularly James Bond.

This years club Chairman Malcolm Newnes gave a speech, thanking Sinah warren Entertainments Group for the excellent show and the continued support for the Businessmen’s Club Senior Citizens Christmas Party. Particular thank to Jacqui Negal, the Guest Liason Manager, and Yana Ogly, the Entertainments Manager, not forgetting Sinah Manager Martin Plumber

The event highlights the importance of the clubs work as it utilises the minibus it runs to ferry many of the guests to and from the event. It is important to show just where all your donations go, as the look of delight on the guests’ faces makes all the fund raising efforts worthwhile.

Even the weather looked down on us with sunshine all day long, the rain held off until after the event.

A big thank you to all that came and supported us.

Other news

The Hayling Island Businessmen’s Club was delighted to welcome Mark Rolfe of Geoff Foot Lettings to one of its regular luncheons recently, not only because he is a thoroughly decent chap, but also because he came armed with a donation of £500 towards the minibus funds.

Throughout the year when any property was let through Foots, a donation to the Club was triggered. This would have pleased the founder member of the company, Geoff Foot, as was a long time member and once chairman.

Mark has promised to continue the offer, and the club will be delighted to accept his generous donations.

Pig Racing is Hotter to trotter

The Hayling Island Businessmens Club inaugural pig racing meeting got off to a (ahem: pigs might) flying start on the 10^th September. Curiosity as to what it was all about overcame nearly 150 people who attended the event at the community centre helping to raise in excess of £1,000 towards the buisinessmens club minibus appeal.

“It’s an unusual, but extremely enjoyable way of the whole family to help us raise money for our community minibus appeal. We are delighted with the attendance, but more with the enthusiasm of the crowds as they cheered on their chosen piggy” Said club chairman Malcolm Newness.

“We are looking forward to holding similar events in the future, so please watch this space” he added.

The pigs themselves are fluffy mechanical pigs that raced along a track with each of the races lasting a few minutes. During the race the crowd’s enthusiasm grew and huge cheers for the winning pig could be heard as it careered over the winning line.

At the end of the evening the pigs were auctioned to boost the charities coffers. Successful bidders Delphine Foot (9) and her cousin Jamie Allen (8) chimed “Number 2 pig won for us and we are really chuffed to have won him in the end, we’re gonna call him Happy Rasher!”

All the club members would like to thank everyone who attended and all the staff of the community centre for making it such a successful event, with special thanks to all the race sponsors.

AGM Report 2011

This years AGM was once again held at Seacourt. Alan Goodwin welcomed the new chairman Malcolm Newnes. Joker Pat Keane was awarded the wooden spoon award and Dave Stanway was awarded the Douglas Broughton cup for his work in organising the 2010 BBQ at Northney Farm and the 2010 Christmas Cabaret night at Mill Rythe. It has been a tough year for fund raising, as with all charities, the recession is biting and funds are a little tight this year. As a result we have not been able to donate as much to island causes as we would have like, although finances for the Minibus are in order.