There was only one thing we couldn't organise for this party - the weather; it was an absolutely fabulous, balmy night. The palm trees waved gently in the breeze and our Hawaiian bar staff (Sue Mitchell, Sue Stephens and Peter Gordon) looked just the part! Cafe del Mar music wafted around as well as the wonderful aroma of sizzling pork and lamb. Beach volley ball was happily going on under the watchful eye of referee Jo Hawes and Derek and Vikki had queues of keen strikers, they said it was great doing the skittles and not having to ask for money, but to give prizes away. Pen Greenwood and her family did a fantastic job on the bottle stall and between us we managed to amass about 140 bottles. We also had a swing ball and a very hotly contended netball shooting game. Amanda Bentley and her team did a fabulous job decorating with such ingenuity and so little money. Simon Greenwood won the senior best dressed competition in a wonderful beach outfit set off with a pair of highland woollen socks!! All in all everyone who came had a really fun, easy time and at the moment it looks as though we have raised a good sum of money. We could have catered for about 100 more people but the idea was that we all got together at the beginning of the season to show our support to our hunt staff and masters. We hope that we achieved this, and to have raised money to give them has been a real bonus. Thank you so much to everyone who gave (time, money and effort) and a special thanks must go to the donor of our raffle prize (the airline tickets) and to the two girls who sold the tickets, neither of whom have ever hunted, but just wanted to support.

Anne Hawes & Wendy Tomlin