On Saturday 07 December with the kind permission and blessing of club president Jon Mangnall, the Captains Lunch was held to raise funds for my Go Fund Me fund raising project which is aimed at providing much needed equipment for the CCU at QA, following my short summer break there in June!

Massive thanks to Paddy Watson and Johnny Jones who arranged and coordinated the whole gig and to Graham Butterworth who kindly agreed to compere the afternoon. The VIP table had 4 members of the CCU along with Kaz my wife and my sister Gail. My bezzie RN oppo Rob Desilva was also there to host the table as I decided the best way to thank the CCU staff was to be out on the touchline with the Dolphins as we squeaked past the New Milton team 132-7……. yup, a close game!

They all enjoyed a truly memorable afternoon in the company of the rogues gallery that makes up a Captains Lunch guest list! I’m joking of course, you are all such amazing people and they were absolutely blown away by the hospitality, gratitude and kindness shown to them throughout the afternoon. My wife, Kaz and my sister, Gail could not fully grasp the warmth of feeling (despite Butts’ attempt to make me out to be a hairy arsed sailor PTI!) extended to them and me. I’m so grateful to you all for that support and for your love (stop blushing Pete Living you know what I mean!).

The figures are now in and during the actual lunch you amazing people raised £540 online and £440 through the heads & tails game plus cash donations on the day. The raffle raised £950 and over in Australia our dear friend Tony Chapman pledged £2000 to take us over (well over) £8k!
It is really difficult for Kaz and I to put into words the level of emotion we feel. We are truly humbled by the generosity of this amazing clubs members, those who know me and those who don’t (the lucky ones I guess!) who along with other very kind people online have pushed us along towards our goal.

The funds have already supplied 3 brand new wheel chairs for the exclusive use of CCU and now they can look to augment their equipment with physio kit and anything else they need to keep on with the incredible work that they do each day.
If you do still want to donate you best be quick, I am closing the page down on NYE such that Kaz and I can draw a line under 2024 and move onwards. The page is available through this link.

Without the CCU team I’d be dead. Without you guys at HRFC, I’d be lost, so thank you all so very, very much.

I love you all.
KP, Kaz and the Dawgz.

#upthehill