Fund-raising auctions
We fund the work we do in a wide range of ways. Some work is grant-funded, some is done on contract to larger institutions - but for our international work, donations from our supporters are vital, and we've run two fund-raising auctions in recent months to support this. Both were held at Rona and David's house - Rona reports on them both below:
On 31st August there was a fund-raising auction and a barbecue in the garden of our home in Kenilworth. 
After several cold and rainy evenings, the 31st turned out to be warm and sunny. A good omen. We charged an entry fee of £10, which covered the cost of the food provided. There was a lot of delicious food, and about 35 people turned up to eat, drink and make bids. A wide variety of goods and services were auctioned, including a lesson in making sushi offered by Mino, a Japanese chef amongst his other talents, and a lesson in Indian cooking offered by Fatima. Jan, a neighbour of Rona and David's, brought fresh produce from her allotment which was sold at good prices. The bidding for gifts was enthusiastic. Our auctioneer was Robin Winn who did a brilliant job of getting bidding going at a brisk rate and keeping things going. Everyone enjoyed it and best of all over £200 was raised.
There was a follow-up to the summer event. On 28th November at 5 pm supporters and friends gathered again in Rona and David's home in Kenilworth, this time indoors. 
This time the entry fee was £5. Once again Robin Winn was our expert auctioneer. We invited everyone to a "pot-luck supper" although not everyone brought something to eat! Eddie (Robin Winn's partner) brought a vast platter of delicious cooked chicken and a huge and tasty rice salad, and Cyril came and cooked his speciality, very yummy hamburgers, and these basically fed the crowd: several people brought cakes, and it was all much enjoyed.
There were many items of interest to bid for, both goods and services. Anne Pike, a friend of Rona and David's, came all the way from Oxford for the event, and was very pleased that she made the highest bids for an exercise machine and a set of 3 volumes of Proust's famous novel A La Recherche du Temps Perdu (we wait for word as to whether she has managed to read them while exercising on the machine). 
She also made the highest bid for a singing lesson offered by Chris Hoskins and says she can't wait for her lesson! Christine Sanderson offered a jam-making session and lesson, bid won by Mark Hinton. Rona offered a 2 hour French class, bid won by Heather Parker.
Marina Orsini-Jones donated a beautiful pair of silver earrings, for which Rona made the best bid, while Zohra Moosa won a lovely silver and pearl necklace and earrings made and donated by Jo Crozier. Cyril made the highest bid for a microscope. Lesley, Rona and David's neighbour, brought a pack of chillies grown in her greenhouse, and there was brisk bidding for the pack, won by Eddie. There was also a raffle, with prizes of wine, chocolate, port and other small gift items. A number of Rona and David's friends and neighbours who had not been able to attend, plus Svilen Golev who was visiting from Bulgaria, donated cash to the event, a very generous gesture. It was a very enjoyable evening, and we raised just over £450.
