OUR CLUB CHRISTMAS MEAL AT BRIARS HALL
THURSDAY 15TH DECEMBER 2016
A report by Steve Kirton our 2016 publicity officer
As they say Christmas comes but once a year "well not if you own a MG or classic car with the West Lancs MG Owners Club" it comes at least twice as we held our festive Christmas meal at Briars Hall on the night of the 15th of December - and with the ladies all dressed up in their finery and bangles and the gentlemen with dinner/lounge suits the members were actually turned out better than the MG's and classics that they drive!
The evening started with us all meeting up between 7pm and 8pm for drinks and cocktails before a three course festive menu followed by mince pies and coffee. In all 44 members attended our Christmas festivities. Having chosen the meals that we would be having beforehand from a wide and varied menu the service was very swift and efficient indeed.
After the meal we had two draws take place one was a Irish raffle were everyone was given a free ticket and if your number was called out you sat down, so as one by one we sat down the last man-woman standing was ?????? Alison Staniforth.
There was then a musical interlude given by Gerry-atric with their Pacemakers - singing - or trying to sing an MG related song to the tune of Winter Wonderland. All went well for the first couple of verses and then the wheels fell off - not off the MG but off the music - whch was interupted on the electronic tablet by an incoming message from France - yes our overseas member Ray was calling to say 'Allo Allo. But the 3 amigos, Nigel, Ralph and Cam, aka Gerry-atric & Co did manage to complete their rendition to much laughter and applause.
The star prize was to name the giant teddy bear donated by Jack and with all the proceeds going to Derian House Hospice. To win this you had to guess the bears' name from a book of pre-selected names and with the price of a ticket £2 for 1 or £5 for 3 guesses - needless to say the members gave very generously to Gillian&Joyce, aka 'The Persuaders' and £128 was raised for the chosen charity.
The winner of the star prize was David Graham. As David thought he might be a little too old for Alexander the Teddy Bear (to give him his new name) he was instead presented with a voucher of a meal for two which was kindly donated by Briars Hall and it was decided that the bear should also be donated to Derain House Children's Hospice.
As the evening was coming to an end and with Christmas wishes ringing in their ears and the last mince pies being hastily eaten along with the exchanged cards being gathered up off the tables it was time for members to say their farewells to another successful year (37 and still going strong) in the history of
West Lancs MG Owners Club.
But before we left we held a quick auction of the helium balloons that had decorated our tables and another £20 was raised to go into the charity pot of good causes.
We would like to thank Briars Hall and staff for making us most welcome tonight and also throughout the year at our monthly meetings and also BIG thanks go out to the behind the scenes committee members (you know who you are) who work so hard and tirelessly to make this event the success it is every year.