A review of the Trafalgar Night Dinner
Published 11:28 on 28 Oct 2020
Saturday 24th October 2020 proved to be a significant evening for Emsworth Sailing Club when we staged our first formal dinner since lockdown earlier in the year. The previous 'black tie' event held in the Club was the "Committee Diner", on Saturday 8th February!
Holding this particular event had a wider significance than merely bringing a group of Club Members together to celebrate a sea battle that took place some 215 years ago, but I'll return to that shortly. We had an extremely pleasant evening, enjoyed good company and partook of excellent food, so big thanks to Ollie and his team.
Certainly worthy of a big hurrah are all the Club Members who attended the Dinner. The Members were punctilious in their adherence to the rules and made the Dinner go without a hitch. I couldn't complete my thanks without thanking Jamie Doble for his steadfast support in making the evening such a success and to Louise and Jac for their artistry with the flowers.
What we have importantly also achieved is that we have produced a format that can be deployed (subject to government legislation) to allow us to run other similar social events at the Club.
The safeguards currently in place for 'Evening Social Events' are:
- Careful and accurate spacing of tables and seats in the Sun Lounge
- A Risk Assessment which covers all the contingencies and requirements of the legislation and determines numbers attending
- Careful adherence to wearing of face coverings and hand sanitising
- The employment of a trained Events Manager for evening events.
For our evening events we will continue to provide a premium service yet safe experience for all our Members attending our events.
Back to the Trafalgar Dinner.
It is worth reflecting on the fact that success at Trafalgar was by no means a forgone conclusion. The British Fleet, under the Command of Lord Nelson, faced a formidable enemy but his qualities of leadership and comradeship made all the difference and victory ensued.
So, on Saturday the 24th we recalled his greatest battle and his subsequent death at the moment of Victory, but we also remember his example of service and humanity. For these and his many other qualities, at the conclusion of the evening, the Members stood together as one as the traditional toast was proposed by Cameron March: "To the Immortal Memory of Lord Nelson and those who fell with him".
Cameron March
RC(H)