Thursday 18 June 2009

Charity Auction & Raffle - Participate On-Line

This is the charity I support and this is where I'll be trekking with Music Makers.
Machu Picchu in Peru

If you’ve read my recent posts or followed me on Twitter (@UltimateWines), you know I'm hosting a charity dinner to benefit ClassicFM Music Makers (charity registration number 1091657) next week at Café Strudel in Richmond (see my post below). There will also be an auction and a raffle to raise even more money for the charity. In a blatant attempt to push the bar even higher, I decided to move the auction and raffle on-line to encourage people who can't make the dinner to get involved.

It’s easy to participate. Here’s how -

I’ve listed all the auction items below. All you have to do is email me (paula@ultimatewines.co.uk) and tell me the item you want and what you’ll bid for it. I’ll update this post regularly with the latest on-line bids. On the night of the dinner, we’ll start the bidding for each item at the highest current on-line bid. So you’ll need to bid high on-line to have a chance at the winning bid. If you win the auction, I'll ask you to pay via my charity web page (http://www.justgiving.com/paulasindberg) and I'll ship your prize to you.

The TOP auction item is 1 week at my house in San Giorgio Scarampi in Piedmont (Piemonte), Italy. The house is in a tiny village that only has about 15 houses and is the second highest village in the Alte Langhe. When the weather is clear, we can see Alps over about 200 degrees (the 15th century tower behind the house blocks the view of even more mountains – shame! LOL!). There are only 2 commercial establishments in town – a friendly bar where virtually the entire village gathers every night and a fantastic restaurant, A Testa in Giu', run by a lovely young couple. Both are so close that you can crawl home – if necessary.


Our lounge and A Slice of Our View

Here’s the list of all the auction items and the current top bid –

- 1 week at my house in San Giorgio Scramapi (Piedmont), Italy – house sleeps 4 in 2 double bedrooms and a 5th can sleep in the lounge. (£500 value) - Top Current Bid £600.00

- Champagne dinner for 2 at Café Strudel (£100 value) - Top Current Bid - none yet

- Overnight stay (bed & breakfast) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Marlow, including use of their fabulous gym (£100 value) - Top Current Bid - start the bidding now

- 2 golf lessons with Alasdair Barr, English Golf Union (EGU) coach to the British boys team, former coach of Luke Donald, the Ecuador amateur men’s and women’s team, among other things (£100 Value) - Top Current Bid $100.00

- Membership to Jancis Robinson’s “Purple Pages”, the members only section of her website (£69 value) - Top Current Bid
- start the bidding now

- A Gold subscription to Wink Lorch’s “Wine Travel Guides” (£49 value) - Top Current Bid
- start the bidding now

- 2 cup Espresso/Cappuccino maker (£35 value) - Top Current Bid
- start the bidding now

Send in your bids now.

Meanwhile, the raffle is listing some amazing prizes. Here’s the prize list –

- Signed copy of Cherry Chappell’s book “Grandma’s Remedies”
- Signed copy of “Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course”
- ClassicFM T-shirt
- ClassicFM T-shirt
- ClassicFM T-shirt
- ClassicFM CD “Relax ...”
- ClassicFM CD “ClassicFM At the Movies”
- ClassicFM CD “ClassicFM At the Movies – the Sequel”
- ClassicFM CD “ClassicFM Baroque n’ Roll”
- ClassicFM CD “ClassicFM Presents Alfie Boe”
- 1 bottle Mont Hauban Selection Champagne
- 1 bottle Gozzelino 2000 “lo Sciorio” Barbera d’Asti
- 1 bottle Brundlmayer Rose Brut
- 1 bottle Duernberg 2007 Grüner Veltliner

Raffle tickets are 1 for £5 or 3 for £10, and multiples thereof. Ticket numbers won't be attached to each item. Instead, as the numbers are selected, each person will get to pick their choice from among the remaining items.

It’s easy to buy tickets on-line. All you need to do is email me (paula@ultimatewines.co.uk), stating how many tickets you want and listing your priorities for raffle prizes. I’ll email back your number(s). You can pay via my charity web page (http://www.justgiving.com/paulasindberg), just contribute the cost of the raffle tickets and mention “raffle” in the message box. If your number is selected, the highest prize available will be yours and I’ll ship it out to you right after the dinner.

Please help me support this great cause. Thanks.

Friday 5 June 2009

ClassicFM Music Makers Trek the Inca Trail Charity Dinner - 25 June 2009

This is a BIG plug for the charity dinner I'm hosting on 25 June 2009 (Thursday) at Cafe Strudel in Richmond.

Here are all the details -

I’ve pledged to Trek the Inca Trail on behalf of the charity, Classic FM Music Makers (registered charity number 1091657) in October this year.

Classic FM's Music Makers is a grant giving charity, formed in 2006, that raises money to fund music education and therapy projects working with the most disadvantaged children and adults across the UK. I know how much music has transformed my life, how it helps me through bad days, and helps me to celebrate triumphs. I’ve seen what Music Makers has done and want to help it in its mission.

However, before I can trek to Machu Picchu, I’ve got a fair amount of money to raise for the charity (at least £3,250 to be precise). As a fund-raising device, I’ll be hosting a charity dinner on Thursday, 25 June 2009 (dinner menu below), at Café Strudel. I hope that you’ll be willing to attend this dinnera a to help my cause.

Tickets are £45/person for a three-course dinner and entertainment (baroque and opera favourites). Almost all of the proceeds will go to Classic FM Music Makers (Café Strudel is ONLY taking enough to cover their costs – supplies and staff wages). Drinks are extra. You can book tickets by calling the restaurant at 020-8487-9800.

There will also be an auction and a raffle on the night to raise additional funds. I’ve already got some amazing things available for the auction, including:

• 1 week at my house in San Giorgio Scramapi (Piedmont), Italy – house sleeps 4 in 2 double bedrooms and a 5th can sleep in the lounge. (£500 value)
• champagne dinner for 2 at Café Strudel (£100 value)
• overnight stay (bed & breakfast) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Marlow, including use of their fabulous gym (£100 value)
• 2 golf lessons with Alasdair Barr, English Golf Union (EGU) coach to the British boys team, former coach of Luke Donald, the Ecuador amateur mens and womens team, among other things (£80 Value)
• Membership to Jancis Robinson’s “Purple Pages”, the members only section of her website (£69 value)
• Signed copy of “Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course” (£25 value)
• A Gold subscription to Wink Lorch’s “Wine Travel Guides” (£49 value)

The raffle will include bottles of wine, Classic FM CD’s and T-shirts, etc.

I need lots of people to attend, and ideally bring their chequebooks, too!

I really appreciate any help you can give me with this. I hope you will attend and that you’ll pass this invitation on to all your friends and contacts and encourage them to attend, too.

And for anyone who wants to just donate to my charity, I’ve got a web page at JustGiving.com (http://www.justgiving.com/paulasindberg) where you can donate online. In the alternative, cheques can be made out to “Classic FM Music Makers” and sent to me (8 Millbank, Mill Road, Marlow, Bucks. SL7 1UA).

Dinner Menu -
STARTER
Chicken Liver Parfait With Rhubarb Chutney
or
Cucumber & Vodka Soup With Bloody Mary Sorbet

MAIN
Pan Fried Chicken Supreme With Fine Green Beans, Rosemary & Garlic Roast New Potatoes,
Sour Cherries & Jus Gras
or
Bell Pepper Stuffed With Feta, Tomatoes, Spinach, Capers & Pine Nuts Served With Salad

DESSERT
Apfelstrudel
or
Zitronentarte

Thanks for your help.