Autumn Ladies Lunch with Michael Buerk
Guest Speaker , Michael Buerk .
Queen Elizabeth ’ s
Foundation for Disabled People , known as QEF for short , is a charity that works with over 4000 people with disabilities each year and hosts fundraising events that are a prestigious part of the London and Surrey social calendar .
Recently , Michael Buerk entertained QEF supporters at Epsom Downs Racecourse with stories from his time as a BBC journalist . Also speaking at this event was Dianne Finnimore , a retired firefighter , who had spent time as a client at QEF ’ s Neuro Rehabilitation Services . Dianne was hit by a car when out running and woke up in hospital with no memory of how she got there . As part of her recovery , Dianne was resident at NRS for three months . At first she could only walk with a frame but her determination to walk and run again has enabled massive recovery . She would
Diane Finnimore .
Sue Jacobs , Chair of the Ladies Lunch Committee ( left ), with some members of her committee .
spend hours just walking round the centre to improve her walking ability .
At the Ladies Lunch event , Dianne spoke about how selfmotivation , determination , and the skill , care and encouragement of QEF staff enabled her incredible recovery . She cannot praise enough the help she has received , and still receives , from QEF .
The next QEF Ladies Lunch event at Epsom Downs Racecourse will be in April 2017 . If you would like to attend this event or to learn more about QEF , Visit : fundraising . QEF . org . uk
ALISTAIR PULLING
The Supper Club to Raise Funds for the Terrence Higgins Trust
This was a wonderful evening and featured a most ingenious fundraising idea . Supporters of The Supper Club host a table at a top London restaurant and invite friends , who each purchase a ticket , to join them with the proceeds going to support the Trust . The restaurants donate their food and services and the evening culminates in a large aftershow party at the Café de Paris , which was attended by celebrities including the ballerina Darcey Bussell . The Supper Club began in 2001 and has raised over £ 1 million for the Trust , which is Britain ’ s leading HIV and sexual health charity .
I am not a conventional “ foodie ” but I do enjoy a dining experience in convivial company and my host , the figurative artist Sarah Jane Moon , chose The Modern Pantry , an excellent restaurant in Clerkenwell . We dined alone so conversation could flow uninterrupted and the evening was perfection as was the cuisine , smoked paprika roast quail followed by marinated lamb chops with a chocolate and almond sponge as dessert . Cabs , which were included in the price of the ticket (£ 175 ), then took us to the Café de Paris .
Darcey Bussell with Ian Green .
Tim Vincent .
The Ambassador of the Supper Club is the Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett of Café Murano and several of London ’ s top chefs support the evening . At the after-party , which packed this colourful and popular Leicester Square nightspot , the Prosecco flowed into the small hours . Drag artiste Miss Hope Springs provided entertainment and there was an online auction and dancing . The evening raised £ 83,000 for the Trust .
The Terrence Higgins Trust does vital work offering support and advice to those living with or affected by HIV as well as disseminating information and increasing awareness about it . In 2014 there were 103,700 people living with HIV in the UK , 1 in 6 of whom were unaware of their condition . Over 6,000 were newly diagnosed last year when the charity ’ s activities raised £ 6.5 million . The Trust aims for a new era of prevention and care in its campaign against this pernicious disease .
RICHARD FITZWILLIAMS
Sam Callahan .
6 THE LONDON & UK DATEBOOK