News 2005 May 18th
Luncheon to Celebrate Forty Years as a Guild in Sutton on Sea

Eighty people packed the Enterprise Community Hall Sutton on Sea for the Anniversary lunch to celebrate Forty years of the Sutton on Sea and Trusthorpe Ladies Lifeboat Guild.

The Hall looked very elegant with the tables dressed with snowy white clothes with scarlet floral centre pieces. The meal, which was prepared and served by the Committee and volunteer helpers of the group, was delicious and consisted of a choice of cold meats with a variety of salads and savoury rice and pasta dishes with hot new potatoes. The Dessert table held a selection of gateaux, trifles and fruit salad with cheese and biscuits for the more diet conscious! Coffee included a slice of a superb Anniversary cake that had been baked and decorated by a Committee member.

Among the guests were the new Towns Mayor, Councillor Bernard Dobbs, and his Lady Mayoress, and wife, Pauline; the former Mayor Councillor, Peter Jackson, with his wife Maureen; Councillor and Mrs Geoff Richards and Mr Mark Spruce Area Fundraising Manager for the RNLI North division. The group were also delighted to welcome a party from Mablethorpe Lifeboat Guild.

Mr. Spruce read the Lifeboat Prayer and Mrs Winnie Dunthorne, President of the Sutton Guild gave the blessing.

In His address Mr Spruce thanked everyone for coming and praised the work done by the Guild over the years. He said that he was in ‘awe’ of the dedication and the hard work put in by the Committee and all who helped at the many functions and fund raising activities that were arranged.

Over the years the Sutton group has raised ‘many thousands of pounds’ to aid the Lifeboat fund and their work was very much appreciated, especially by the Lifeboat crews. He added that a vote of thanks should also go to the people of Sutton and surrounding areas who so selflessly and generously support all these events.

Councillor Dobbs thanked the Committee for inviting him to join them on this special occasion and wished them well for the future. He told them that the RNLI will once again be among the group of charities that will benefit from the Mayors Appeal in the coming year.

The Grand Raffle was well supported and raised £126 .00

The new exciting Souvenir stall took £56.70 .