Charity Lunch
Note: Clicking on any of the photographs will enlarge them.
Charity Lunch Day had finally arrived, and from the moment the morning began, there was a real sense that it was going to be something special.
The day started bright and early as we packed up the car and dropped Ginny off at what is becoming her “second home.” She’s slowly getting used to Mummy and Daddy leaving her to play with friends, although she still can’t quite understand why we don’t stay and play too!
Then it was time to head off to Taunton… in the rain of all things! Typical British weather — and on such an important day too! But rain certainly wasn’t going to dampen spirits.
When we arrived, the wonderful Jenny Bevan was already hard at work making sure every table was perfectly set. Slowly but surely, everything began to come together beautifully. Gorgeous floral arrangements, kindly created by Marilyn Mann and Jane Dickens of Wellington, brought the room to life. Place cards and menus were laid out perfectly, while cheerful blue and yellow crochet hats — lovingly made by Jane Fleming of Wellington — hid delicious Ferrero Rocher chocolates for guests to discover.
As I walked upstairs, I couldn’t help but smile at the beautiful Forget-Me-Not bunting decorating the stairwell. The atmosphere was already full of warmth and care before the guests had even arrived.
And then there was the raffle table… absolutely overflowing with fabulous prizes! Next to it sat my little shop setup — because let’s be honest, every charity lunch deserves a little retail therapy!
Soon the room filled with glamorous ladies dressed up for a fabulous afternoon together. Glasses of welcome fizz flowed freely while the sound of chatter, laughter, and friendship filled the room. It was heartwarming to see everyone enjoying themselves so much — and yes, the retail therapy was a huge success too, with raffle tickets selling fast and ladies eagerly trying their luck at “Name the Bear.”
Then came the debut of our incredible MC. Truly, every girl needs a Rod! He called us all to lunch in spectacular style. And what a lunch it was — beautifully prepared and served by the fantastic staff at Taunton Rugby Football Club.
A huge thank you must also go to Amy, who stepped in at the eleventh hour and delivered an incredibly moving and informative speech about Alzheimer’s. Her words gave us all a deeper understanding and were delivered with such grace and compassion.
Of course, no charity lunch would be complete without entertainment! Barry had travelled all the way from Stratford to perform for us, singing beloved classics from across the decades. But the real surprise of the afternoon? An entirely unplanned and unrehearsed duet between Barry and Rod himself — another unforgettable debut that had everyone smiling!
Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for — raffle time! Excited winners collected their prizes, while “Bertie” and “Lucy” were revealed as the winning names for the big and little bears.
By the end of the day, my sinusitis had sadly decided to make its presence known, and after such a wonderful whirlwind of laughter and celebration, I needed a few days of antibiotics and rest to recover.
But despite that, I can honestly say it was an incredible day from start to finish.
Together, we raised over £2,000 in total, an amazing achievement that simply wouldn’t have been possible without the kindness, generosity, and support of everyone involved.
To every single person who attended, donated, helped organise, sponsored prizes, spoke, entertained, or simply supported the event in any way…
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
What a day. What a community. There really isn’t a Club like Tangent any where! What a reminder that together, we really can make a difference.
YiCF,
Carol