A gala evening at the Villa Marina raised more than ?23,000 for the Island’s Commonwealth Games team. Guests at the event, held in the Villa Marina’s Royal Hall, also got the chance to see The Queen’s Baton which carries the message to the Commonwealth that Her Majesty will read out at the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Games which begin on July 23. The evening began with a dinner and was followed by entertainment headlined by Bond, the string quartet who played at the London 2012 Olympics closing ceremony. Former British Lions and England rugby union international Tim Stimpson was the guest speaker. In addition to ticket sales, funds were also raised via an auction and raffle.
The event was organised by Team Isle of Man Ambassador Marie Morgan who works as a Dealer at Ramsey Crookall & Co. She is a former racing cyclist who competed at the Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games, and won two stages of the women’s Tour de France. She said:
“It was a wonderful evening and thanks must go to the many individuals and organisations who made it such a success. There was a tremendous amount of local support with the donation of auction and raffle prizes helping to boost the fundraising total. Many businesses donated goods or services free of charge or at cost price and their generosity is also greatly appreciated.”
All funds raised go to the Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association (IOMCGA) which is the organisation responsible for the publicity, fundraising, travel, and support for Team Isle of Man’s participation at the Commonwealth Games. It is a registered charity and relies upon fundraising events and donations to fund the team. Juliet Holt, IOMCGA President, said:
“We are extremely grateful to everyone who supported this event, and in particular to Marie for all of her hard work. Special thanks must also go to our Team Isle of Man Champions Auxesia, Creechurch Capital, Heron & Brearley, IOMA Fund and Investment Management Limited, Isle of Man Creamery, Karsons Pharmacy, Manx Telecom, MM&C, Skanco and SMP Partners for their valued support – and to PokerStars as the main sponsor for the gala evening. Every penny raised will help our talented sportsmen and sportswomen to realise their dreams and fulfil their potential at Glasgow 2014 and beyond.”
Team Isle of Man will be represented in nine sports at the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer. The squad of 46 competitors is the biggest ever to represent the Island at the Games and will compete in athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, lawn bowls, shooting, swimming and triathlon. For more information about Team Isle of Man go to www.cga.im where you can also make donations to support the team.
Photo - Gala evening organiser and Team Isle of Man Ambassador Marie Morgan, left, presents a cheque to Isle of Man Commonwealth Games Association President Juliet Holt.
