The Success of First-Ever Charity Cycle Ride Revealed At Woody’s Lodge Veterans Fundraiser Black Tie Ball
Against the backdrop of the enchanting Hensol Castle, Woody’s Lodge held a dazzling veterans fundraiser Black Tie Ball with many Welsh community leaders in attendance and some serious talent as the entertainment. Held on October 7, it was sponsored and organised by Pinnacle Complete Office Solutions, a leading managed print & IT services and document management solutions company in Wales. The ball celebrated the end of the inaugural Woody’s Lodge Cardiff to Paris Charity Cycle Ride and announced the next cycle ride for the new year. It also represented one of the final big events for 2022.
Woody’s Lodge Cardiff to Paris Charity Cycle Ride
As the night rolled in, Woody’s Lodge veteran’s fundraiser Black Tie Ball came to life as 145 guests filled Hensol Castle. Each guest was treated to a delicious blackberry gin cocktail to whet their appetite for the exciting night ahead. At the heart of the ball was announcing the funds raised at our highly successful first-ever charity cycle ride held between 5 and 10 July 2022. The cycle saw professional and amateur cyclists take on the great outdoors, exploring English and French towns while paying homage to those who lost their lives in the Army, Navy, and Air Force during the Great War and Second World War.
Electric entertainment
As guests arrived, they were seated by the Master of Ceremonies Mr Iwan Jones, and once everyone was comfortable, the event kicked off. Filling the venue with hauntingly beautiful voices was a spectacular performance by the local branch of the Military Wives Choir – and as guests enjoyed a dinner feast, live music from Leighton John filled the halls with upbeat classics. The ambience was electric as delicious food, combined with incredible live music, had guests revelling in the energy. During the main course, Leighton got the crowd going, and they all raised their napkins while the music swirled around the room.
Key speakers
Peppered throughout the evening were words from key speakers who took to the stage to speak about veteran’s fundraising initiatives and how it assisted Welsh veterans this year while touching on big charity drives to expect in the upcoming months. Our speakers for the night included Clive Hamilton, Dr David Trotman, Graham Jones, Sian Woodland, and the Veteran’s Commissioner for Wales.
Big announcements
A raffle and auction were two big fundraising initiatives at the ball, which kicked off with a fun opening game of heads n tails. After a vibrant night of togetherness and celebrating the Welsh veteran community, it was announced that Woody’s Cardiff to Paris cycle ride raised a phenomenal amount in excess of £85,000 or £85,728.81 to be exact! We’re still awaiting confirmation of the gift aid, which will boost this total.
Another big announcement was the name of the next year’s cycle ride, titled the Normandy Battlefield Tours. More details on the event will soon drop on Woody’s Lodge website and Facebook page.
Our incredible corporate sponsor: Pinnacle
Pinnacle Complete Office Solutions became one of our corporate sponsors in 2018. Since then, they’ve been proactive each year, supporting a wide range of charity initiatives, from gala dinners and hikes to cycling challenges to raise awareness and give back to the veteran community. The Managing Director of Pinnacle, Clive Hamilton, is also the Vice Chair of Woody’s Lodge Board of Trustees.
More about Clive Hamilton
For 25 years, Clive has poured hard work into his company. Before this, he served in the North Sea, North Africa, and prior to this, the Falklands in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (MOD) Navy. He has extensive experience in business, including operations, marketing, financials, strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and much more.
As Clive grew in the business world, so did his social responsibility footprint. Today, he continues to support an array of charity organisations in Wales and across the UK and plays a pivotal role in organising and partaking in charity events. With the huge wealth of skills he’s learnt, Clive plans to share this with our outstanding team at Woody’s Lodge!
Clive had the following to say about the event:
“It was a great evening at the Black Tie Ball celebrating Woody’s Lodge and Cardiff to Paris Charity Cycle Ride at the amazing Hensol Castle. Thank you to the team who helped make the event a roaring success and all those who raised a little extra money before we published our grand total from the cycle. We are grateful and thankful for your invaluable support.”
Looking for veteran support services in South, North and West Wales? Our team at Woody’s Lodge is here to help. And don’t forget to stay updated with the latest events, news and insider happenings by subscribing to our newsletter.
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