The 2009 Christmas Lunch, after some late changes to the date, venue and content, went very well with almost 80 members and guests packed into the Eaton Suite at Dunston Hall – which being baronial and beamed was just right for a Christmas bash!  EDP Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Richard Burton of Hood Easy was the special guest speaker and was joined Chair Nick Farrow to talk about being in business ‘now’- Richard’s business is just a year old – and ‘then’ as Farrows celebrated its 30th year in business in 2009.

A wide ranging a jolly discussion kept the audience amused with personal insights on politics, media and the economy.

The Big raffle – with a one in 6 chance of winning something, and the table raffles for mini coolers – all donated by sponsors and the committee – raised a huge pile of cash which Barclays agreed to ‘money match’ – so we hope to raise almost £2,000 for the Hamlet Centre, the branch’s charity of the year.