The sun shines for The Chamber Summer Soirée!
On Thursday 11th July, Sevenoaks District Chamber of Commerce Members met at the beautiful Penshurst Place and Gardens for the annual Chamber Summer Soirée.
After days of rain, the clouds parted and the sun beamed down on to the picturesque South Lawn, for just long enough for Chamber members and their guests to enjoy an evening of relaxed networking, all accompanied by the musical delights of pianist Mike Hatchard, kindly organised by John Levett, Listening Rooms Music Agency.
Chamber CEO Dawn Blee started the evening off by introducing Dr the Hon Philip Sidney, who shared some opening words, closely followed by a review of the year so far from Chamber Chairman Paul Baker. Lady De L’Isle, chatelaine and owner of Penshurst Place was also present to add to the welcome.
The scene was set for a wonderful evening in perfect surroundings accompanied by numerous exquisite canapés and refreshments produced and ably served by the Hospitality team.
As the evening came to a close, all was rounded up with the Chamber’s famous prize draw, and a notable double win by former Chamber Chairman Mark Tuvey, not only winning a £45 voucher for The Happy Grazing Company kindly sponsored by Spring Consultancy Ltd, but also one of two £30 vouchers to be redeemed at Life on High, sponsored by GFHR Consulting; the other going to guest Gary Pearmain.
Further prize winners include Farhana Hussain, claiming a Wagamama’s cookbook, followed by Matthew Newman winning the E-bike hire for 4 adults with Country Hire and Go. Helen Loder took home the sought after two-year TN card Membership, Sarah Hamilton-Walker won a hot desk for a week from Lime Tree Work Shop and Jenny Reardon won a £30 Imperial Jade Coffee voucher provided by Social Fireworks.
The Chamber’s very own Rupert Butler was lucky enough to win a huge Summer hamper provided by Handelsbanken, and the Warners Solicitors’ Picnic hamper got snapped up by Sara Harrison.
John Levett kindly donated not only the music for the evening, but also tickets to an evening with the jazz saxophonist Snake Davis, won by Simon Welham. An evening under the stars by way of tickets to the open-air cinema at Knole Park was won by Councillor Libby Ancrum. The final prize of the evening went to Sandie Johnston, who then had to travel home with some rather patriotic Prosecco, a prize donated by The Chamber.
The Chamber are happy to share some wonderful pictures from the endlessly talented Russell Harper, who never ceases to capture the fun and will be circulating the video footage taken by the very creative Diagonal Camera Team in the very near future.
With many people to thank, the evening of course would not have been possible without the sponsorship of Handelsbanken, Warners Solicitors, Listening Room music agency, Diagonal Design as well as the hard work of the events and hospitality team at Penshurst Place and Gardens, with special thanks to Ben Thomas Estate Manager, Liz Lambert and George McCleod Catering and Events Managers.