You might have thought that holding a gathering in Gibraltar on the very evening we should have been enjoying a gala dinner prior to setting off around the world might be something akin to a wake, but it was anything but.
We’d decided to go ahead with a champagne and canapés reception on board the five-star Sunborn floating hotel, and it was amazingly well attended, with the numbers of sponsors, friends and followers swelled by a sizeable contingent of officers and ratings from HMS Diamond, cutting a splendid dash in their Number One dress uniforms and medals. The ship has been in the Mediterranean for the last few weeks in an operation aimed at countering the trafficking of illegal arms and migrants in the waters around Libya. On a less serious note, just a few days ago, some of them leap-frogged to the top of the Rock for charity – a first, apparently! And while none of them would admit to it outright last night, I got the impression that as they readied the ship to put to sea on Sunday morning to return to Portsmouth, greeting the Russian fleet as it approached the Mediterranean wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility.
The focus of the evening was on a charity auction raising funds for Blesma and the Calpe House Trust, which provides a “home from home” in London for Gibraltarians who have to come over for medical treatment. The auction lots varied from the frivolous – a George Michael pullover (not actually one of his, but it nevertheless sold for a three-figure sum), to dining and spa experiences, a couple of nights in one of Sunborn’s luxurious penthouse suites, through to exclusive high value prizes such as joining Team Britannia on board the boat when we attempt to break the current Monaco to Gibraltar record (that one went for a sizeable four-figure sum). I didn’t keep track of the running total, but I reckon the evening raised around £15,000 to be divided between the two charities.
Keeping the attention of lots of people when there’s the temptation to drink and chat is no easy job, but Team Britannia’s financial whizz Paul Stewart rose to the challenge brilliantly, charming and cajoling people in equal measure to part with their cash. We even had a surprise extra lot at the end of the auction provided by HMS Diamond, involving one sailor onstage, and bids being offered for him to remove various items of his uniform. Despite nervous glances being exchanged in some quarters, decorum was maintained (more or less), and it was a fun end to the proceedings. We’d certainly like to thank Commander Marcus Hember and his crew for being such terrific sports, and we hope they enjoyed the evening. With the ship’s home port in Portsmouth, as is Team Britannia’s, I’m sure we’ll stay in touch.
Meantime, it’s back to work, as we have a boat to finish off. The problem which forced the postponement of our circumnavigation record bid has been resolved, and we expect to have her afloat in the next few weeks. We’d left the countdown clock on our website www.teambritannia.co.uk running until yesterday evening, when it was reset to our new departure date – midday 12th March 2017.
CT
