Locksmiths' Exhibition Award Dinner raffle and auction

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17th April 2024 Issue no. 701

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Locksmiths' Exhibition Award Dinner raffle and auction

At the Awards Dinner on the 5th of March we intend to hold a raffle and auction for a very special cause. The raffle prizes will be available to diners only at the meal but the auction items will be open to anyone to bid on.

This will be a sealed bid or silent auction in that:-

Sealed bids for the item of your dreams must be made on plain paper with your full details i.e. name, address, company name if it's a company bid and the maximum amount you wish to bid. Seal this in an envelope and the bid for item clearly written on the back- and send to Mick at the show office marked 'Auction' C/O Locksmiths Exhibition - 22 Mill Gdns, Elmswell, Suffolk, IP30 9DQ. Bids can also be handed in on the Saturday at the show, again in a plain envelope with Auction on the front and the bid for item name on the back.[TRIMTO}

These bids will not be opened until after dinner on the Saturday night. Winning bidders will be expected to pay in cash or cheque as soon as possible if not on the night - we will advise on the cheque details.

So far the Auction items are:

A two-week stay in Orlando, Florida (subject to availability) for up to 10 people. Disney is just down the road, all you need to do is book a flight. www.cheap-orlando-pool-villa.com Donated personally by David Jennings of Tradelocks.

VIP visit to Bradford City football club for 2 people including a 3 course meal in the executive lounge and watching the game in one of the executive boxes - donated by MPL

One Page and one half page adverts in Locks & Security Monthly, and 6 weeks on Locks and Security News: you could spend a little here for a good cause, and gain a lot of business in return!

Needalocksmith hamper. Included Trade safe (van safe), Bottle champagne, Armour plate for the new shape sprinter van

Needalocksmith website for any company up to £800 designed and built to your requirements

Magnum of Champagne - donated by Gravograph

Raffle items:

£50 Asec Vouchers (winners can select up to £50 nett of Asec Products). Donated by Aldridge security

6 x bottles of Rioja - personally brought over from Spain by Mick

£30 M&S voucher - donated by Advanced Keys

Homeguard - donated by Prestige Products

Bottle of whiskey - donated by Sterling Locks

Bottle of whiskey - donated by The Spring Man

Anyone wishing to make their own donations for either the auction or the raffle should contact Mick without delay: [email protected]

So what exactly is the good cause that we are supporting? We'll let show sponsor David Jennings of Tradelocks explain:

"Chris Pankhurst's daughter Francesca is 18, and is a severe diabetic. In the last 3 years she has been at death's door several times, requiring multiple organ transplants. She has suffered badly with eyesight, but last year she had to have operations that made her totally blind. One of the saddest and hardest tasks of my life was insisting Chris took 3 days off to take Francesca to see her favourite places for the last time before they took her sight away.

"The outlook for Francesca was grim, and she had been told she needed a multiple organ transplant within the next 12 months or else she would simply die. Even then the organs were expected to last no more than 5 years, and as you may know you can only ever have a maximum of 2 transplants for liver, kidneys and pancreas.

"In January, Francesca was taken to Spain to see specialists. These specialists changed her medication, and also changed her outlook. They have said with the new medication that Francesca will not need a transplant for another 5 years, by which time hopefully advances in medicine may provide more options than are currently available.

"So now instead of living day by day (literally), Francesca has an outlook. And so do her parents Chris and Debbie. This however brings burdens as well as joy. The medical bill has been taken on by the Welsh medical trust. However there is the practical issue of altering Francesca's living accommodation to make it 'blind person friendly.'

"The Pankhurst's have a downstairs annexe on their house, which they want to convert in to a living area for Francesca. The cost of this is £5,500, not a huge sum of money, but Chris and Debbie have spent almost everything they have on medical bills, and specialists fees so far, and there is little left in their kitty."

Let's do what we can as fellow locksmiths to help an industry colleague overcome this hurdle that his family faces. Both auction and raffle items will be gratefully received, as will of course your monetary bids and donations.

16th February 2011