Ladies dress to impress for sunny fundraising lunch

The event raised £5,383 to continue the Lady Taverners’ ongoing support fundraising for specially adapted minibuses and sport and recreation facilities for young people with special needs.

To this end the head of the Southfield Trust schools, Kirsty McLihargey and Tim Ripley (who drove the children’s adapted bus) joined the group along with actress Jenny Hanley and more than 200 local business women and guests.

Dressed to impress, the ladies enjoyed a delightful lunch, a generous raffle and entertainment from the “Walk Like a Man” Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons tribute act and then retired to the lawns for the last of the evening sun.

Laura Collins, chairman of the Kent and Sussex Region, welcomed the guests, who also included Lady Taverners national chairman Carole Garner and members of the Kent and Sussex Committee.

Laura said, “This is now a ‘must’ in the town’s calendar; the event has inspired so many ladies to support the charity.

“Numbers grow each year which means more money being raised to support our aims.

“Our focus is to have fun whilst fundraising – and this year we are emphasising how ‘exhilarating’ this work can be too!”

She also thanked main sponsors Gaby Hardwicke, and wine merchants HT White & Co, which sponsored the drinks reception, the team from the Grand Hotel and local companies for their support donating more than 20 generous prizes for the raffle.

Kirsty McLihargey explained how valuable the minibus is to her pupils, enabling them to access experiences outside the school sites, to enthusiastic applause from the event attendees.

The Lady Taverners is the fundraising arm of the cricket charity and club the Lord’s Taverners, which is famous for its charitable giving.

Founded in 1987, over the years the Lady Taverners has raised more than £12 million and built up a network of 25 regions with nearly 1,000 members throughout the UK.

PICTURES BY MARK DIMMOCK