QBBF Poppy Ball

On the 22nd November the QBBF held its annual year end ball which more recently has been arranged to coincide with Armistice Day. This year the Committee not only wanted to follow this tradition but even more relate to the occasion.

We were presented with an opportunity to try different ideas since the QBBF's traditional support through the Ramada was unavailable to us this year. Therefore with thanks to Simon and the team at the four seasons we were able to introduce a pre ball reception on the lawn, which was well received by the 400 guests attending this year's event.

We also kindly receive some fantastic creative depicting black and white photographs overlaid with red poppies and a new QBBF poppy ball logo sponsored by Creative Action Design, these were incorporated into the table numbers and shown on the ballroom walls through projectors so that the sense of the occasion would remind us all of the sacrifices the British forces make every day and why we were linking our ball with such a sense of occasion.

The evening was for everyone to do this and have fun and this did not go unnoticed.As a result there were a large contingent of revelers still on the dance floor at 3 am in the morning when Andy Ford who had got us up on our feet very early on, except of course for Hugh Thompson our chairman who was still on crutches and could only enjoy by tapping his good foot to the music, and kept us up there had to tell us to go home. How do I know there was a large contingent you only had to look at the queue for the complimentary limousines at 3.30am.

With some fantastic prizes donated by QBBF, Ramada Plaza Doha, HSBC, Doha Bank, Rolls Royce Motor Cars Doha, Alfardan Premier Motors, EMEA, MRL Finance, Regatta Sailing Academy, Rumaillah Group, IBQ and InterContinenetal Hotel Doha, plus a signed football by the Newcastle United 1st team which was auctioned and raised QR10,000, the event has raised a fantastic QR75,000 which I am sure all of us know at today's exchange rates is approximately £10,000, to be given to the British Legion.

It would be wrong once again not to acknowledge the time given by a number of individuals who made this event such a great night of entertainment and a donation of substance to a worthy cause and our thanks go out to Jerry Seager, Jane Ashford, Anne Cole and Michelle Parcell.

Gary Mond
Vice Chairman