Charity Evening with surprises

An eerie looking Guildford Castle

Why is that meeting a well-known person (famous) makes you go completely weird? You try not to stare as they walk into the room but your eyes keep flicking back and anyway it would be rude to ignore them, surely. You find yourself behaving slightly in the style of Miranda Hart or at least thinking you will end up saying something stupid and all these silly lines run through your head (please don’t let me say that! Your other voice replies in horror).  I thought that might be me last night!

I had been invited to an Engagement Evening (no, not the going-to-tie-the-knot-eventually party) by the charity Jubilee Action.  I have been a supporter for many years and I have written about them before a year or so ago when I invited a speaker from the charity to the women’s group at church. This evening was to celebrate their achievements, show us the projects they were running in Africa and where our money was going (as well as to drum up more support).  There was to be a short film and nibbles.  I had no idea it would be quite like it was.

I arrived in Guildford in the late afternoon so I could mooch around the shops.  Although I had been to Guildford Cathedral Flower Show in the summer I hadn’t been to the town since my children were small. Like every big town they now have indoor shopping malls but the High Street looks relatively same – same hill, same distinctive clock. Anyway, I arrived at the offices of Jubilee Action at about 5.45pm.  I was almost the first to arrive and the central heating was going full pelt. Heck it was hot even with a window open.  The office is nice and split into two sections as around the corner of the l shaped room was a kitchen area with some sofas.  The staff had dressed for the occasion and I felt a little underdressed in my black jeans and walking shoes!  All the wine and food had been supplied by local shops including Costa.  They were expecting around 40 people and had intended to use the lower ground floor room which is larger but the lift had broken down only that afternoon and everything had to be moved up.  It was a tight fit! I got talking to a former mayoress of Guildford – a nice lady.  Most people had come with someone or knew others, basically a lot of local folk so I did feel a bit lonesome at times.

A member of staff talked a few of us through some of the photos in the hall and while we were standing there a guy came in and I did a double take.  I knew he was a comedian but I couldn’t think of his name and no I didn’t go up to him and say ‘I’ve seen you on TV!’ I just smiled at him.  But during the evening my eyes kept drifting back to him, as they do. Before the short film we were entertained by an octet of ladies singing some well know songs.  They were very good too.  Then there were the usual thanks and flowers for various members of staff (someone said it was just like the Oscars) and then we watched a short film about a project in Uganda working with former child soldiers. These children were abducted and forced to commit atrocities.  If they tried to escape the camp they were beaten.  Now they are traumatised by what happened to them but their families and the villages they came from will not take them back because of what they did.  Jubilee Action has trauma specialist working with them and the children also learn to read and write and they are taught skills so they can earn a living.  Jubilee Action is a small charity but they do such a lot of good.

I learnt that the comedian’s name is Milton Jones (the one with the birds nest hair but combed neatly tonight) and he is to become one of the new Patrons of the charity. As if one famous person wasn’t enough there was also two Paralympic Gold Medalists there.  One was the equestrian rider (Dessage) Sophie Christiansen but to my shame I cannot remember the name of the other lady. Sophie is also to become a Patron of Jubilee Action and I had the chance to briefly speak to her and shake her hand. I hope I didn’t come across too gushy but what a remarkable young lady.

So, a very unexpected evening.  The staff are very passionate about what they do and I think they do a fantastic job.  Long may they continue to bring hope to the needy.