“This year outshone them all”
On Wednesday evening, 1st March, the Trustees of the Friends of the Rose Bowl held our annual fundraising Dinner and Gala Auction at the very popular Frederick’s restaurant. The Rose Bowl named after its popular founder, Ron Rose, is a lively and well attended youth club in the Marquess/New River Estate which gives young people the opportunities and support to enable them to achieve their potential, to flourish, and to make their worlds a bit bigger and a bit brighter.
The charity, formed some 17 years ago, largely raises funds from Canonbury neighbours and the annual dinner and auction is the main event. Jane Simmonds, Chair said “Last night it was heart-warming to see how many local businesses and personal friends generously gave prizes for the auction. I was so impressed by the generosity of our 120 or so paying guests. I am not sure what the grand total will be but to raise nearly £16,000 on the auction items is stunning. In addition to this our guests sponsored £2,500 towards the cost of running the Summer Holiday Programme.”
Lia Cramer who lives locally said,
“I have been to many wonderful Rose Bowl auctions, but this year outshone them all. Fredericks was a great venue for this local event – making a fund-raising auction into a very special evening for everyone.”
The Trustees were delighted that they were joined by our local MP Emily Thornberry who sat next to Chloe Olden from the Rose Bowl. Chloe told us all why the Rose Bowl was important to her:
“it really touches me to know that there are so many people within the Canonbury area that genuinely care for the young people growing up around them.”
Jonathan Gibbs, who runs Isledon, the Community Interest Company that manages the Rose Bowl said: “The Friends did Rose Bowl proud – a big thankyou from the hundreds of young people who will benefit from the amazing generosity shown at the auction”.
Angela Potter, a Trustee, who travelled up from Gloucestershire for the event said” It was lovely to have four of the young people who attend the club helping during the evening by selling raffle tickets. They managed to raise a staggering £600.”
The evening was a lively event, starting with delicious canapés and dinner. “Frederick’s made all our guests feel very welcome and they helped to create the warm and friendly atmosphere of this most successful evening” said Denise Knight one of the Trustees.
After some encouraging speeches by Jonathan and Jane, Nick Martineau from Christies auctioned the varied and exciting auction lots. People bid extremely generously – not afraid to pay £320 for a meal for two at the brand new Plaquemine Lock restaurant in Vincent Terrace or two tickets for the Kings Head, in Upper Street, which sold for four times the face value.
It was a huge coincidence that earlier that evening someone who just happened to be in Frederick’s turned out to have worked with Ron Rose in the 1990’s. She was delighted to find that the Rose Bowl is still goings strong, and that it has kept its name. Ron (who died some years ago,) would have been so pleased.
