PREVIOUS EVENTS
2010
29/30th January
Coinciding with the nation-wide RNLI SOS day on 29th, the Branch was kindly invited to mount a bucket collection on both these days at Marks and Spencer's Food Hall, Kingsditch, Cheltenham. Supporters and volunteers collected a total of £1138 due to the generosity of M & S Customers. Many thanks are due to the donators, volunteers, M & S, and Derek Poulton, Branch Treasurer, who organised and managed the collection duties.
25 January
A celebration of Robert Burns' birthday was held at St. Luke's Church Hall, and guests were traditionally entertained by Pipe Major Ian Willox. Haggis, neaps and tatties, together with the traditional 'wee dram', were enjoyed by all present. Very many thanks are due to all Committee members who assisted with the preparation of the hot meal, to all supporters who kindly attended, and to Pipe Major Willox and his family, who ensured the party went with a swing (of the kilt!). A net sum of £200 was raised for RNLI funds.
2009
10 December
We were again invited to mount a collection at the Seth Lakeman Concert held during the evening at Cheltenham Town Hall. Seth, a confirmed RNLI supporter, kindly agreed that this might take place, and we received very generous donations from the audience present totalling £258. Many thanks to all.
5 December
Branch representatives attended the Charity market in Cheltenham promenade, where we sold RNLI Christmas cards and Souvenirs. Business was brisk throughout the day, culminating in total takings of £700. Many thanks to all who assisted at, and made purchases from, the stall.
3 December
The '999 Emergency Services Christmas Celebrations Carol Service' was held in the beautiful surroundings of The Chapel, Cheltenham College. This event, which is held every two years, is organised by this Branch of the RNLI, and celebrates the outstanding courage, duty and commitment of all Emergency service crews. Chaplain Reverend Raynaud de la Bat Smith conducted the service and gave an inspiring and moving Sermon. Gotherington Ladies Choir supported the Carol Singing, and provided enjoyable solo and group performances. Lessons were read on behalf of all Emergency Services present. A collection made during the Service raised the excellent and generous sum of £678. Refreshments and Mince Pies were enjoyed by the guests after the event. Generous thanks are due to all who organised and participated.
4 November
The Annual General Meeting of Cheltenham Branch was held at Cheltenham Civil Service Club, and was well attended. Guests included the Branch President,The Mayor, Councillor Lloyd Surgenor, Frances Warren, RNLI SW Regional Organiser, and the guest speaker, Steve Wills, the National RNLI Beach Safety Manager. Mr Wills entertained the gathering with an illuminating talk on the expanding RNLI Lifeguard service. Giving his Annual Report, the Branch Chairman, Frank Austin thanked all officers and members for their continuing support, but announced he would step down from his position after more than 22 years of dedicated Chairmanship. John Couch, Vice Chairman agreed to take his place, and was duly nominated and accepted, afterwards thanking all members for their support and undertaking to maintain the same high standards of fund-raising set by his predecessor, who will remain a member of the Committee. Mr. Robert Lyndsey was appointed Vice Chairman in Mr. Couch's place. You may read Mr. Austins report and view the Branch's Annual Financial Statement at the 'Annual Report' page.
29/30 and 31 October
SPECIAL EVENT REPORT
All local Branches in the Cheltenham Area, and the RNLI in general, are extremely grateful for the excellent 3-day fundraising event, organised by Alan Tyson, in which the proud and sometimes tragic history of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution was portrayed on stage at Cranham Village Hall. The venture, which took over a year to plan and co-ordinate, was the brain-child of Alan, who authored and produced the collection of seven mini-costume dramas aptly entitled 'Out of the Mist', and was aided in the presentation by Cranham RNLI Drama Group , supported by Cranham Players.
The 3 evening and one matinee performances were a sell-out very soon after the tickets went on sale, and the delighted audiences were enthralled by the attention to detail and fine performances of all those who took part. Those who attended the evening performances were also fortified by a fish/ chicken and chips supper cooked on the premises and authentically served.
Christmas Card and Souvenir sales, and donations, added to the ticket sale proceeds, and the final sum raised as an exclusive donation to the RNLI is £4182.
This was a completely independent undertaking, and although RNLI Regional HQ staff and Local Branch members assisted and gave advice, the sole credit for this very successful fund-raising occasion rests with Alan Tyson and his fellow villagers, to whom the RNLI is truly grateful.
23 October
St. Lukes Hall was again the venue for our popular Quiz Night. The event was very well attended, and the Fish and Chip Supper was enjoyed by all present. Many thanks are due to Paul Wroot, who organised the challenging questions, Bob Putman, the Quizmaster, and Frank Austin who kindly arranged and collected the 70+ portions of Fish and Chips, courtesy of Champion Chippy. All those who attended and took part, and other helpers, also require a big 'Thank You'. The event raised net proceeds of £445.
10/11 October
The Branch again attended the now very popular Vintage Steam Gala at Cheltenham Racecourse. Aided by the very clement weather for most of the weekend, the Souvenir Stall was a great attraction, and total takings and donations for the two days amounted to an exceptional £720. Many thanks are due to the staff of GWR, and Avril and the volunteers who manned the stall.
3 October
Organised by Margaret Beverley, Cheltenham Bridge Club again hosted the Branch's annual Bridge Drive. An excellent hot lunch was served, courtesy of Margaret, Fay and Avril, and all participants greatly enjoyed the proceedings. Total net income for RNLI funds amounted to £881, a very credible result. Many thanks are due to Margaret for her hard work, the Bridge Club, and all other Committee Members who gave assistance.
26/27 September
With the kind cooperation of the Bugatti Owners'Club, we again attended the Prescott Hill Climb Autumn Classic, and enjoyed a very successful weekend. Souvenir sales, donations and a bucket collection raised £841 for Lifeboat funds. Many thanks are due to BOC staff, and the Committee members and volunteers who made this possible.
9 July
Chavenage House near Tetbury was the venue for Midsummer Music Concert and Picnic, a RNLI event held with the kind permission of the Lowsley-Williams family, and sponsored by Simon Chorley Art and Antiques. Attendance was good, the weather was kind, and a grand total of £1878 was raised jointly by Cheltenham, Newent, Tewkesbury and Stroud Branches. Many thanks to all involved.
4/5 July
This weekend found Branch members manning the Souvenir Stall at Cirencester Park Fayre, with kind permission of the organisers. Souvenir sales and donations raised £600 for RNLI funds, an excellent result. Many thanks to our customers, supporters and volunteers, and a particular thank you to Avril, Souvenir Secretary, who organised our presence.
21 June
By kind invitation of the organisers, Sarah and Tim, we attended with our Souvenir Stall and the SW Display boat at St. Mary's Church and School Fete, Churchdown. This was an enjoyable event, well attended, and achieved a suplus of £140 for RNLI Funds.
24 May
The RNLI Inland Water day held at Croft Farm Water Park, Bredon's Norton, Tewkesbury was a terrific success, helped by magnificent warm and sunny weather conditions. This was a Joint Branch effort which clearly promoted the work of the RNLI in a very prominent way, and to judge from the attendance numbers, all who came, and those who helped, enjoyed the various demonstrations, exhibits and children's entertainment tremendously. The grand total of monies collected exclusively for the RNLI on the day amounted to £2705, of which a gross total of £669 was attributed to Souvenir Sales and other donations organised by Cheltenham Branch. Many, many thanks are due to Alan, Tom and Agneta, Croft Farm staff, for the enthusiastic and very generous support, and of course to the permanent RNLI staff and local volunteers from all surrounding Branches who helped to make such a success of the event.
16 May
A collection at Morrison's Supermarket, Cheltenham, raised £739 - many thanks to the Supermarket Management for allowing this to go ahead, and to the Members and Volunteers who kindly attended to assist with the collection.
25 April
The Annual Flag day held in Cheltenham Town Centre raised a record sum of £1785. This was a great effort, and thanks are due to our Treasurer, Derek Poulton for organising the collection and to all Members and Volunteers who gave up their time on the day.
27 March
The annual Skittles Evening at the Cheltenham Civil Service Sports and Social Club was well supported and raised net proceeds of £90. Many thanks to all who attended, assisted and donated raffle prizes.
21 February
Our Annual Lifeboat Ball took place at the Thistle Hotel, Cheltenham, and provided an excellent evening's entertainment for the many guests, who took the opportunity to shrug off the credit crunch and winter blues. Live music from the excellent 'Top Mix' provided the usual incentive to 'dance the night away', and thanks are due to the tri-partite Branch Ball Committee, David, Fay and John, for the hard work that, as usual, guaranteed the success of the event. Net proceeds amounted to £2488, an excellent result.
2 February 2009
A bucket collection was mounted with the kind permission of Tesco's at their Cheltenham supermarket, and although hampered by the extreme weather conditions prevailing, an excellent total donation of £315 was achieved. Many thanks to donators, and our volunteers who braved the arduous conditions in true Lifeboat spirit.
23 January 2009
We held our usual Frog Racing evening at St. Luke's Church Hall, Cheltenham which was well-attended despite inclement weather. Guests were entertained by participation in various Frog Races organised by the Cotswold Frog-racing team, and enjoyed a flutter on the results. An excellent Bangers and Potato supper was provided, and the event raised £465 for Lifeboat funds.
2008
13 December 2008
Supporters and volunteers gathered at Toddington GWR Station for the usual Train ride and Carol Service at Winchcombe Station, an event which is held every 2 years. An excellent turn-out, some in period costume, enjoyed the Carols accompanied by Cheltenham Silver Band, and later partook of Mince pies and Punch at Toddington's Flag and Whistle Cafe. Many thanks are due to the staff at GWR and the Cafe for their help and support on this perenially enjoyable event, which raised the excellent sum of £1253.
6 December 2008
Cheltenham Promenade was again the setting for the annual Christmas Charity stalls event, and the Branch attended as usual for the sale of Christmas Cards, Calenders, Diaries and Souvenirs. The total proceeds for the day, including donations, amounted to a grand total of £814, a gratifyingly good result and a record for the Event. Thanks are due to all members and volunteers who assisted throughout the day with the manning of the stall, and a special thank you to Avril Dooley, our Souvenir Secretary, who managed the logistics of ensuring that the many and varied sales items were in place.
28 November 2008
The Branch re-organised a bucket collection at Waitrose for this day, which was postponed from September 5 due to very inclement weather. The proceeds were a very substantial £1232, an excellent result. Many thanks are due to Derek Poulton, Hon. Treasurer, who organised the staffing, and all the volunteers who kindly attended. And a big thank you to the Management at Waitrose who generously gave their consent to our activity and made us welcome.
12 November 2008
Cheltenham Branch Annual General Meeting was held at Cheltenham Civil Service Club on this evening, and was well attended, guests including the Mayor of Cheltenham, Mr. Ronald MacDonald our President, and our Vice-President Mr. John Baker. After the Chairman's and Treasurer's Annual Reports, those attending were treated to a very absorbing and enlightening presentation by Mr. Allen Head, RNLI Operations Manager for the South East and Deputy Team Leader, RNLI Flood Relief Operations. The recent work of the Flood relief rescue teams in the Tewkesbury and Gloucester areas was explained in detail, illustrated by many original slides of the operations carried out by this dedicated team. Many thanks are due to Mr. Head, and Avril Dooley who again did splendid work in setting up the Xmas card and souvenir stall sales which as usual proved very popular.
18 October 2008
A Bridge Day Charity Event was held with kind permission of Cheltenham Bridge Club at 4 Tivoli Road Cheltenham. All credit for the organisation of this event rests with Mrs. Margaret Beverley, whose hard work and enthusiasm contributed to its great success. Coffee, a delicious cooked lunch and afternoon tea were provided and many thanks are due to Margaret, Avril and Wendy who took care of the catering. Over 40 players attended and the grand total of £670 was raised from admissions, raffle and donations. Winners Shields were awarded to Mary Portman and David Cook, and deservingly to Margaret and Geoff Beverley. It is hoped to repeat the success of this popular event in 2009.
11/12 October 2008
The Annual Cheltenham Steam and Classic Fair was held at the Racecourse this year, and committee members and volunteers attended with our Souvenir Stall. The weather on both days was fine and resulted in good attendance figures which saw brisk sales of RNLI Christmas cards, calenders and memorabilia. Many thanks to Avril Dooley who organised and transported the display of RNLI wares, sales of which amounted to a grand total of £673 over both days.
10 October 2008
St Lukes Hall was again the venue for an excellent Quiz evening, complemented by an excellent Fish and Chip Supper. Takings from tickets, the Bar and the raffle amounted to £525. Many thanks to all who attended, to our Vice President John Baker, who was the Quiz-master, Paul and Vicky Wroot who organised the questions and Frank Austin who organised and collected the 70 plus portions of Fish and Chips which were gratefully consumed!
27 September 2008
Members and friends enjoyed an all-day trip by coach to Chatham Historic Dock yard which not only houses the fantastic Lifeboat Museum but also some very interesting ships and other military pieces set amongst historic docks and buildings. Many thanks to Frank Austin, Branch Chairman who organised the outing and to Rob Coles, Branch Media officer, who drove the Marchants Coach.
5/6 July 2008
This weekend found us again manning our usual Souvenir and Xmas card stall at the very popular Cotswold Show, by kind premission of the organisers. The weather was mixed, although far better than last year, but sales surpassed our expectations, with a very creditable total of £763 for the 2 days. Many thanks to Avril Dooley, the Branch Souvenir Secretary, who put together a great display with a large variety of popular goods.
23/24 May 2008
Over these two days, members and volunteers were again active in holding a collection at Tesco's main Supermarket in Cheltenham, funds donated totalling an excellent £1117. Thanks are due to Tesco's Management who again made this event possible.
25 April 2008
Cheltenham Town centre Flag Day took place, and the annual event was well supported. Many thanks to all the volunteers who 'manned the buckets' and raised the excellent total of £1331.
20 April 2008
Highnam Court Open Garden took place on this day, by kind permission of Mr. and Mrs Roger Head. Despite the rather inclement weather, the event attracted a good number of visitors who enjoyed the magnificent ornamental gardens. Funds raised totalled in excess of £1000. Many thanks to Committee Members and supporters from Newent, Gloucester, Tewkesbury and Cheltenham Branches who assisted on this successfull day.
28 March 2008
The Annual Skittles evening was held at the Cheltenham Civil Service club, and the event was well attended, raising £155 for RNLI funds.
23 February 2008
Again our 2008 Masked Ball was a great success, thanks to the many revellers who enjoyed the excellent menu and service provided by the Cheltenham Thistle Hotel. The event was extremely well patronised, and most guests spent the latter part of the evening honing their dancing skills to great music provided live by Rob and Ian of Top Mix, who were on really great form. Thanks are due to the Thistle Staff, and David, Fay and John of the three local committees who organised the proceedings in their usual efficient manner. The event raised almost £4000, split equally between the three organising branches, Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Newent.
26 January 2008
Our FROG RACE evening, held at St. Luke's Church Hall. Cheltenham, was again a great success, and nearly 50 punters took part. As usual the skills required took some mastering, but the Frog's did not suffer! Thanks to organiser Avril Dooley, the participants, the Sponsors, the Helpers and not least the Cotswold Frog Racing Team who kindly managed the proceedings, the RNLI benefitted from a net surplus of almost £600.Thanks are also due to Robin Tucker, who organised the excellent Sausage and Mash Supper, and Ian Read, who kindly donated the delicious sausages.
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2007
24 February 2007
We held our ANNUAL MASKED BALL 3 at the Thistle Hotel Cheltenham which was again a Joint event organised by members of Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and Newent Branch Committees. Over 150 guests attended and as in previous years this was a very enjoyable and successful evening, aided by an excellent menu, and the fabulous Top Mix live band. Funds raised are expected to be in excess of £4000.
  
 
 
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