|
All photos provided by Graham Reading VIEW PHOTOS Nearly four hundred people, largely from the construction industry gathered together to help raise funds for work of the COINS Foundation. And what a result, together they raised over £33,000! This is all thanks to the efforts of Dave Wilkinson and Brendon Ryan from Lovell who decided they wanted to make a big difference.
Both Dave and Brendon started the IDS (Institute of Drunken Golfers) with an aim to start raising funds for selected charities. This led them to taking part in the COINS 3 Peaks Challenge in May 2007 www.coins3peakschallenge.com where they became the 2nd highest fundraisers. As such, they were offered the opportunity to visit projects that the COINS Foundation would be supporting in Zambia. Having seen what can be achieved to help change the outcomes of people in Africa, they returned inspired to do more and cooked up the idea of a holding massive fundraising ball.
The glamorous evening kicked off with welcome drinks and the opportunity for photo portraits taken by Graham Reading. Soon everyone was seated in the main ballroom at Beaumont House in Old Windsor. Dave and Brendon opened proceedings with a warm welcome followed by Shaun Williamson (aka Barry from EastEnders) who got the evening started with a few jokes. Throughout the evening he continued to MC, auction, tell jokes and later sing for a set – what a talent!
Dinner was served, but things kept moving at a pace - first with the opportunity for everyone to place a bet on a horse race. As the race swung into action, as you would expect the noise level in the room rose – with a near photo finish between horses no.7 and no.4 - No. 4 sneaking a win. Our thanks to horse sponsors: Silverdell (UK), Baxted Construction, Mattison Scaffolding, Star Contractors, Edenway Contractors, Woodland PH and the I.D.G. Overall the two minute the race raised a whopping £2,000 for the COINS Foundation.
Derek Leaver Chairman of the COINS Foundation opened the speeches by telling Dave and Brendon’s story and offered an overview of the community development work of the COINS Foundation both at home and abroad. www.coinsfoundation.org Ian Walkden, UK Director for Habitat for Humanity followed by talking about the partnership with the COINS Foundation and building news homes within the community projects. He also talked about the work of Habitat for Humanity and the fact that everyone deserves a home and we can help by offering a hand up, not a hand out. Speeches were rounded off with a short film showing life in Africa and some of the adversities that are encountered every day. The auction was then underway with prizes ranging from an experience for eight in a racing yacht, donated by Gunite (Eastern) which raised nearly £2,000 alone to a beautiful oil painting raising £600 – together with the silent auction more than £14,500 was raised – our thanks to all the donors of prizes and indeed those who bid for them so generously. By 11.00p.m the band SWARM struck up and the dancing was underway. The dance floor was full all evening and the hardy continued into the small hours. On behalf of the COINS Foundation we would like extend an enormous thank you particularly to Dave and Brendon but also to everyone attending and supporting the Lovell Gala Ball on Saturday evening.
If you can get enough of a good thing and want to do more to help then why not take a table or a place at:
COINS Foundation Presentation Ball 17th October 2009 Call Pauline T: 01753 501078
If you would to follow in Dave and Brendon's footsteps and enter a team into the COINS 3 Peaks Challenge, there are a few places left for 2009 and registration is open for 2010. Call Pauline T: 01753 501078 or register online |
