WHAT can we say? The Guild 2019 charity raffle was a great success and a new record amount raised. Twenty fantastic prize donations from stoves and rods to Flame Genies and fireside accessories. Dust Control, Digital Sweeps, Flue Cube, Flue Technology, Kerstar Vacuums, Logs Direct, OFTEC, Panda Press, Rodstation, Rotary Power Sweeping / Snaplock, Resurrect Media (Chris Eyte), Stove Industry Supplies, Tamar Brushes, Wakefield Brush, Woodwarm Stoves, WT Knowles, Dave Barrott, Mervyn Brown.
A very big thank you to all those above who donated such fantastic prizes, it made such a difference and we obviously couldn’t do it without you.
Dinner was finished and the last few tickets were bought. Longstanding Guild member and trainer Gavin Cater took the mike and announced the start of the famous Guild Charity Raffle 2019. Expectation was high to say the least and two prizes in particular were getting a lot of attention. Woodwarm stoves and Stove Industry Supplies had both donated one of their wonderful stoves, just outstanding.
The first lucky winner was Tony Lavin from Lincolnshire quickly followed by Phillip Maggs from Suffolk. Well done chaps, you could never have expected to go home with such a beautiful prize.
Gavin kept the proceedings moving along briskly and all too quickly the prize table was cleared. A quick count up revealed a new record amount raised – £1905. The Guild have long supported the work of CO Gas-Safety, a carbon monoxide awareness and support charity. Paul Overton from CO Gas-Safety told the audience of his personal tragedy with CO before receiving the cheque. Paul’s story is a sober reminder to everyone that their work regarding alarms, advice and awareness absolutely makes a difference.
CO Gas-Safety president Stephanie Trotter sent a letter – “Thanks once again to all the Guild members and to the companies who donate prizes. It makes a real difference to us as a small charity. Even more important is the great work we know you do every day in educating and advising your customers on carbon monoxide issues.”
The evening entertainment continued with some outstanding live music from events band Grooveology. Everyone involved in the dancing agreed it was some of the best live music they’d heard for a long time. The casino was a big hit once again and it was difficult to get near the tables at times.
As the band and disco finished and the roulette wheel came to a halt, the general drift was toward the bars. At 4am there were still 40 odd souls having a full on party. By 5.30 am the final 6 or 7 limped off to bed.
It was an outstanding evening which rounded off a superb show weekend which broke all our records. Plans are already underway for next year. Why not make a date to join us on 28th and 29th February 2020.
John Eardley won an Evening Firelighter donated by Logs Direct.
David Hobson won a Wakefield Brush Power Sweeping Kit
Claudia Meding won a £50 John Lewis voucher kindly donated by Dust Control.
Paul Fisher won a Viper XL donated by Flue Technology
Andrew Lovick was the lucky winner of a Gin gift box and goodies donated by Digital Sweeps.
Lee Pearce won a selection of brushes donated by Tamar.
Carl Cox was the next lucky winner of a Flueboss Liner Rotary Power Sweeping kit donated by Rodstation.
David Sudworth won the Kerstar Wine box gift.
Exhibition sponsors Snaplok/Rotary Power Sweeping donated 3 x Flame Genies won by Carl Cox (again), James Hughes and Bethan Richards.
Young George Hagon won the OFTEC donation, a Kane personal carbon monoxide detector.
Panda Press donated a £50.00 voucher won by Rob Wildgoose. He also won the Snapcover prize donated by Mervyn Brown.
Dave Barrott donated two hand made prizes of Rams Head Ironwork. Chris Geeves won the Rams Head toasting fork.
Craig Forster won the terracotta wine cooler chimney pot and pen holder from WT Knowles. Lucky Craig also won the Rams Head poker.
The Woodwarm log store was won by Martin Lewis.
Q Hotel Chesford Grange donated a bottle of red wine, which was won by Mark Daniels.
Resurrect Media, a news & content marketing agency experienced in helping chimney sweeps, offered a free 500-word press release worth £75 won by James Roy Archer.
20 outstanding prizes donated by some of our fantastic exhibitors. Thank you all so much.
