It was not only the competition finalists who came away with prizes at our presentation tea – patients at our chosen charity were also given a terrific boost, thanks to the generosity of club members and chief sponsor, P & S Gallagher.

Chairman John Milsom handed over a cheque for £1,000 to St Peter and St James Hospice, which the club regularly supports, to help ensure its immediate future amid the ever-harder struggle to cater for the vast number of patients requiring its services.

More than £700 of the total was raised at our Millennium Cup charity day, which was funded entirely by Gallagher’s, while other fundraising and proceeds from the Nicholas Soames Trophy competition, which Basil Larkins runs on behalf of the club, took the total into four figures.

On top of that, club members have been inundating Nicola – who is a nurse at the hospice in North Chailey - with donations of clothes to ensure patients live their final days in dignity and comfort.

'Amazing' contribution

At the presentation tea, Lisa Watson – a ward support volunteer – described the donations as “amazing”.

She said: “The hospice has to have a whole array of clothes, and our supplies were looking really sad. Our cupboards are now bursting at the seams. It is really needed.”

Only a fraction of the hospice’s income comes from government funding. Most is from fundraising and legacies, so the club’s annual contribution is invaluable to the charity’s operation.

Lisa said there were currently eight beds (costing around £7,000 each) in use at St Peter and St James, but the charity hoped to be able to make use of some of its spare rooms to provide more in future.

John said the donation would not have been possible without the support of Gallagher’s, which funds many activities at our club. “I can’t thank them enough for what they have done for this club. It is outstanding, and we really do appreciate it.”

Before those attending were treated to afternoon tea, president Jill Saunders presented winners and runners-up trophies from our internal competitions.

For a full list of this year’s finalists and results, see this story.