Brecqhou Open Day – June 17th 2006
Almost £25,000 has been raised for the NET Patient Foundation incorporating Living with Carcinoid through an open day on Brecqhou, the private Channel Island belonging to Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay.
A party of 44 guests who had either bid for a ticket via a silent auction or won a place through a raffle ticket enjoyed a fabulous day exploring the gardens and grounds of Fort Brecqhou, the castle home of the multi millionaire twin brothers.
All the proceeds of the day – an impressive £15,000 raised through ticket sales, plus a generous donation of £10,000 from Sir David and Sir Frederick – have come to the new charity.
The event was organised by local fund raising team the Guernsey NETworkers, led by Cathy Kalamis, one of the charity’s founders.
The Barclay twins received their knighthoods in 2000 in recognition of the large amount of charitable work they do via their own charitable foundation.
The NET Patient Foundation would like to pass on its grateful thanks for their support of this special day out.
The money raised will be used to support specific patient centred projects. These include the provision of new information pamphlets, printing and distribution of special patient diaries that will enable people to keep track of their often complex treatments, and contribute to the funding of a new colour magazine designed to help patients cope with their isolation and fears, that we hope to launch later this year.
The charity is currently involved in setting up regional support groups with the backing of local consultants and money will be diverted to support these new groups – and individuals – where needed.
Residents of Guernsey in the Channel Islands are being offered the chance of a life time chance to visit the secret island belonging to multi millionaire twin brothers Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay – and raise funds for the NET Patient Foundation at the same time.
The Barclay brothers are for the first time allowing the a public party of 40 people the opportunity to win ‘passport’ tickets to visit their extraordinary island home just 40 minutes by boat from Guernsey, with all proceeds coming to the charity.
And the day – on June 17 2006 – promises to be an amazing one.
Winners will meet at Guernsey harbour for a Bucks Fizz breakfast before being whisked over to Brecqhou on the Barclay brothers’ private launch.
After a warm welcome the guests will be invited to tour the gardens and grounds in small-guided groups and get close to the extraordinary Gothic castle – Fort Brecqhou – that is the brothers’ home. They will visit the castle chapel that has stunning Venetian glass walls.
The honey coloured Fort Brecqhou is the only castle to have been built in Europe in the last two centuries and rises majestically from the rock on which it is built. It was designed by notable architect Quinlan Terry, who in 1989 created the stunning Gothick Villa, a mansion in Regents Park London.
Lunch and refreshments will be laid on and then further tours of the grounds will be held.
Guests will leave with some very special and valuable gifts, including sought after first day cover Brecqhou ‘stamps’ technically known as carriage labels that will be presented on personally addressed envelopes and franked on the island. They are expected to become collector’s items.
Other gifts will include a pot of honey produced on the island and a copy of the only book written about the Barclays’ secret island.
But the key prize is simply stepping foot on the island that has been distinctly off limits until now, and shrouded in mystery and mystique.
The unique event is being organised by the Guernsey NETworkers, a group of six women who are all friends and supporters of Cathy Kalamis, one of the Foundation founders. Cathy who lives in Guernsey was diagnosed with a NET in February 2004.
She said ‘It promises to be a totally unique experience and live up to its name of a sensational day out as there will also be a few surprises along the way for guests to enjoy. It is expected to be the talking point of the summer in the Channel Islands. I have been overwhelmed over by the generosity of Sir David and Sir Frederick and their support of the new charity.’
Interest in the event is currently high in Guernsey, which provides a vital opportunity for more people to find out about, and understand, neuroendocrine tumours, Cathy added. Extensive coverage has been given to the event, the charity and the disease, through the local paper and BBC Radio Guernsey.
People have been able to win tickets to the Sensational Summer Day Out on the Island of Brecqhou on 17 June through a silent postal auction that finished last post on Monday 8 May, or buy £2 raffle tickets. The local newspaper, the Guernsey Press is running a competition asking readers to nominate someone deserving to enjoy the day out for free with final nominations due on 22 May. Raffle tickets – currently selling like hot cakes – will be on sale throughout May with the draw at 1pm on 1 June.
In addition all GPs, consultants and health professionals on the island are being personally invited to bid for a pair of tickets to Brecqhou in a separate auction organised by the Guernsey branch of the British Medical Association, in order to heighten awareness of NETs with the local medical profession.
