Imagine a scene from a Hollywood movie – elegant guests in their finery, sipping champagne and picnicking on the manicured lawns of a grand stately home on a balmy summer evening. This was in fact the scene on Saturday 5th June at Firle Place, the home of Viscount and Viscountess Gage, before a performance of “Whose Oscar Is It Anyway?”. The production, which included excerpts from such Hollywood favourites as “High Society” and “Singin’ in the Rain”, took place in the beautiful 18th century indoor riding school and raised over £80,000 for local hospices.
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The Akehurst sisters succeed in climbing to the ‘roof of the world’! After a gruelling 14 day climb, Jennah Akehurst, aged 23 and her sister, Hazel, aged 26, reached base camp (5364 metres high) of the highest mountain in the world: Mount Everest!
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Ben Elton rocked the cream of Sussex society when he compered a truly magical evening at Pashley Manor, Ticehurst on 18th July. His outrageously non-PC humour had the audience rolling in the aisles and started the show off running – a baton the cast grasped firmly and delivered spectacularly.
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On 23rd October 2008, The Baroness Cumberlege CBE DL hosted a reception at the House of Lords for the Friends of East Sussex Hospices at which Professor the Lord Darzi of Denham KBE gave a presentation on his recently published review “Our NHS Our Future” which includes for the first time a strategy for end of life care.
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Our fourth Pashley Manor Concert took place on 19th July, 2008 thanks to the generous hospitality of Mr & Mrs James Sellick, and raised £55,000. The prestigious black tie event was sponsored by The Peter Stormonth Darling Charitable Trust.
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One of the nation’s favourite cooks and fiery countryside campaigner Clarissa Dickson-Wright came to Ashdown House School in April and, seated in a large, comfortable velvet wing-chair, “spilled the beans” about the cooking and encounters of her very full life in Sussex. Relaxed and obviously at ease in front of a ‘home’ crowd, she gleefully recounted tales of her adventurous and eventful life, regularly throwing in numerous outrageous stories about MPs and celebrities with obvious mischievous delight, to the great enjoyment of the audience. Guests queued at the end of the evening for copies of her recent book “Spilling the Beans”.
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Sell-out Irish music evening raises over £2,500 for Friends of East Sussex Hospices A capacity crowd of 120 enjoyed the lively and haunting Celtic music of Dutch band Harmony Glen at High Hurstwood village hall on Friday 22 July. The group played both traditional and contemporary tunes – described as ‘Irish folk with a twist’ in their inimitably energetic style, and generously donated the proceeds from this date on their latest tour to support local hospices. An estimated £2,500 was raised.
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On 25 June over 300 guests enjoyed a marvellous musical evening provided by the London Festival Opera (LFO) at Herstmonceux Castle – and raised £40,000 for local hospices. The black tie event began with a pre-concert picnic in the grounds of the Castle, with guests entertained by the lively tones of Ticklers Swing Band.
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