On a sunny Sunday afternoon in St Annes on Sea, 50 diners gathered in the bar area of The Bedford Hotel for the first family social lunch in the calendar of Darren Collins, WM of South Fylde Group’s Lodge of Triumph No 1061.
At the appropriate moment, event organiser Ted Rhodes requested that everyone move to their tables as the first course was ready to be served. Following a formal greeting by Ted, the lodge chaplain Roger Weston gave grace and the starters of soup, ham hock, melon or Greek salad were swiftly distributed and quickly consumed. The first fund raiser took place with everyone being invited to place £1 in their small brown envelope. Ted Rhodes invited WM Darren to draw out the lucky envelope and the winner was Julian Hale, who promptly approached the raffle table and secured first pick at the prizes. In between courses, the lodge charity steward Jordan Brown accompanied by Jack Todd did a sterling job selling envelopes of raffle tickets ready for the grand draw.
The main course was delivered on very hot plates which included roast beef and Yorkshire pudding, roasted pork loin, confit of duck, seabass or onion and cheese tart all with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables. The dessert course included white chocolate and raspberry trifle, bread and butter pudding, lemon posset and shortbread, ice cream, local cheese and biscuits.
As the tea and coffees were being enjoyed, Ted Rhodes announced the stand-up bingo was about to take place and promptly explained the rules, much to everyone’s amusement. Within a few minutes it was clear that there were only two players still standing, lodge secretary Will Buchanan, playing his wife Laura’s tickets and the WM’s daughter Evelyn. In the final number call, it was Will who won the game. Both Will and Evelyn selected a prize from the raffle table.
The bingo quickly led into the grand raffle draw with over 20 prizes remaining. These were efficiently distributed around the room to the lucky winners by Jordan and Jack.
The afternoon was rounded off with concluding remarks by Ted Rhodes and Darren Collins who both thanked everyone for their attendance and support, particularly to those who generously donated raffle prizes. Darren announced that the event had raised a magnificent total of £513. He spoke of future social events, which includes a Tapas Night at The Palace on Friday 12 June and the 22 November Sunday lunch at The Bedford.
Darren thanked Denise Smith and her family for attending, recalling the many Sunday lunches and other social events which had been co-organised by the late Graham Smith; who everyone associated with Lodge of Triumph and who the South Fylde Group miss enormously.
