This year's Summer Event (barbecue) was hosted by the President, Joe Kerrigan, on Saturday 25th June.
Hosted by our President Joe Kerrigan, the 2011 Summer Barbecue was held once again in the popular Rose Garden of King Charles I School. The weather leading up to the event had been distinctly threatening, but Saturday grew increasingly warmer as the President used his lucky Irish ancestry to guarantee the temperature and to welcome around 55 guests for a very pleasant evening.
The atmosphere was heightened again by the musicianship of Tony Pearson on the electric organ. Background music can be mind-numbing in its mediocrity: for example, in a supermarket, in a pub, or accompanying lifeless telephone voices thanking you for your patience and advising you that you are moving further up the queue. In Tony's case, however, his music helps to create a thoroughly pleasant atmosphere, and guests, renewing old and valued friendships, certainly appreciated his talent and his musical repertoire.
There were other highlights, too. Ken and Pat Garbett organised a very efficient and friendly bar. Cans of the finest hoppy beers and wines from the farthest reaches of the globe were available for the discerning tippler. The premier selection, for me, was a 2009 vintage Italian Pinot Grigio, with fruit of pristine quality, overflowing with aromas of passionfruit, lime and gooseberry. At least that's what it said on the bottle! It was a very nice white, though, even if few of us would claim to be wine connoisseurs, and Ken and Pat are to be congratulated again for the work they do in support of this special occasion in the summer.
Our heroes and chefs for the evening, Heather and Martin Humphries and Joel Faulkner, made sure that the feast of burgers, chicken and sausages were all brought to a peak of culinary perfection, medium-rare to medium in taste and with the odd scorched and carbonised piece being consigned to the bin. The bin, let me say, was virtually empty. A range of delicious salads was provided by Committee members, and, for those counting calories, there had to be a strong will to reject the temptation of the creamy puddings that ended the meal.
There was a very successful raffle at the end of the evening with many attractive prizes, and the princely sum of £116 was raised, which added to the credit side of the equation. Colin Lloyd and Peter Picken should also be congratulated for the work they do in helping to make the Summer Barbecue the success that it always turns out to be.
'Captain' Peter Vaughan, World Affairs Correspondent