2017 Annual Dinner Review

We held our 2017 Annual Dinner on Friday 31^st March at Manor by the Lake, Cheltenham.

The evening began with a walk on the red carpet into the grand entrance hall where those in attendance were able to enjoy a drink adjacent to the President’s reception which took place for our top table guests.

When our toastmaster made the call to dinner everyone took the short walk across the front of the Manor to the sumptuous room where our Annual Dinner was held. Fabulous centrepieces and twinkling lights set the scene for a fantastic evening.

After our top table guests were clapped in, 2016-17 Institute President Mark Brill welcomed our guests and explained how the charity raffle and auction would work. Almost £2,000 was raised from the raffle and auction, monies raised have gone to the Pied Piper Appeal.

Thank you to everyone who donated on the evening and congratulations to the winners of the fabulous prizes which included a £150 John Lewis gift card, an Amazon Echo, a two Night Luxury Getaway - Stay for two people, a case of wine, a £50 Amazon Voucher, a three course meal for ten guests at Manor by the Lake, a signed Gloucester Rugby Club Poster, two club enclosure tickets to the April Meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse, adult and child admission tickets for Cotswold Wildlife Park, tour and tasting for two adults at Westons Cider Farm and two three hour Spa Retreats at Chapel Spa.

Thank you to BLM, Pro Global Insurance Solutions, St James's Place, Crawford & Co, Armour Re, City Financial Planning, Capita, Brunsdon, Manor by the Lake, Gloucester Rugby Club, Cheltenham Racecourse, Cotswold Wildlife Park, Westons Cider Farm and Chapel Spa for donating the prizes.

For the first time sponsorship packages were available for organisations to purchase, thank you to Crawford & Co who were our first Premium sponsor.

The Pro Global Insurance Solutions sponsored Exceptional Service Award was presented by Jerry Perrins to Andrew Brown for his services to the industry during his extensive career.

Before enjoying the delicious three course meal speeches were given by Institute President Mark Brill who talked about the many events our Institute main council and New Generation group have been involved with during the council year, CII Deputy President Dame Inga Beale who spoke on behalf of the CII and Institute Deputy President and Dinner Secretary Nicola Hunt who pledged to further support the Pied Piper Appeal by completing a sky dive later this year.

After the meal our guest speaker Phil Vickery MBE regaled us with stories of rugby, Masterchef and meeting the Queen. When the top table guests returned to the President’s reception room guests danced the rest of the evening away to the rock and pop sounds of The Chip Shop Boys.

For those of you who had a fantastic evening and for those of you who could not make it this year our Annual Dinner will be returning to Manor by the Lake on Friday 13^th April 2018, put the date in your diaries and keep an eye out for details as they are revealed…