Fundraising Success at the Big Curry Lunch
A team led by Paster Master Nic Somers established a new record for the Turners contribution to the Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch held at the Guildhall on 4th April. Nic reports that some of the band of ‘happy helpers’ were up at 5.30 am in order to get everything into Guildhall by 7.00 am. The team consisted of our gallant Clerk, Alex Robertson, Past Master Peter Gibson and his wife Di, Assistant Christopher Scott and Nic’s wife, Anne.
The Master joins with Nic in thanking them all.
Pieces for sale were kindly contributed by members of The Register of Professional Turners (RPT), The Association of Woodturners of Great Britain (AWGB), and Past Master Andrew Mayer (under instruction from his wife Pat, to clear up his workshop!)
The pieces sold raised nearly £2,500, which was augmented by three items put into the auction: a Lignum Vitae ornamental turned RAF box by Liveryman Reg Hawthorne; two places at the Sovereign’s Parade at Sandhurst, organised by our Court Assistant Major General Bill O’Leary; and, two places at the Royal Engineers’ Summer Ball at Brompton Barracks, making a grand total raised of £4,670, a record for the Turners!
Grateful thanks go also to Gary Rance and Reg Hawthorne. Gary, who beautifully turned the delightful child’s rattle that was presented to HRH Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex by the Master during his visit to the Curry Luncheon, and Reg who turned the presentation box for the rattle.
This was the 12th annual Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch. The Lunch unites the City of London to show their support for members of her Majesty’s Armed Forces and Veterans through the three National Service Charities; ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. The funds raised have had a deep and lasting impact on the lives of thousands of servicemen and women who were affected by service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
For the next three years, The Lord Mayor’s Big Curry Lunch will link with the Civic and Mayoral theme of employment and employability. As part of our giving we will provide financial support for veterans to take part in a programme designed to help them manage their pain and subsequently find meaningful work. One of the biggest inhibitors to veterans getting into the world of work and sticking at it is pain. The causal factors involved are complex, whether physical or psychological. King Edward VII Hospital’s Centre for Veterans’ Health has developed – and tested – a six-month long Pain Management Programme specifically for veterans. The Lunch will fund, as part of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity grant-giving, up to 18 veterans on this programme in each of the next three years. Soldiers Charity