Experimental Silent Auction

It was also, I believe, a pleasant social experience for those who did manage to get there (Seaford Golf Club in Firle Road) and who were most generous with their bids for a range of quality items.  The venue is always such a warm, welcoming, comfortable one and, as usual, the bar staff were unstinting with their service under the direction of helpful Golf Club Manager, Christopher.

The attractive set of bathroom-products, the digital radio, and the flat-screen TV (although NOT, surprisingly the fully functioning Music Centre and speakers displayed alongside) were all snapped up for bargain prices.

So were Pippa Logan’s mouth-watering food hamper and her cream tea delivery service, John Preddy’s booze-fest collection, Samantha Thomsett’s Mirror-Wills offer, the vouchers for dinner at local restaurants and pubs and a one-year membership of a private indoor bowls club (worth £125).

In fact, only a few of the 28 items on offer were left at the end for us to store (maybe for the next one!) but surely someone should have noticed that the mini-Music Centre could be obtained for as little as £1!  What a Christmas present that would have made.  Perhaps everybody already has one – or that it seemed a bit big to carry home despite its smart, self-contained appearance.  Anyway, we’ve still got it.

And, yes, Sue Barrett has still got her sailing boat (without a sail) which she finally ‘bought- in’ for a fiver!  Well, to be honest, we didn’t expect more offers than that – but thanks to Sue for raising the tone with the ‘star item’.

Meanwhile Rotarian Tony Lees ploughed his own furrow with a dedicated stall containing silk scarves, smart ties, and royally engraved drinking vessels and, ignoring our advice that it was actually against the principles of an ‘auction’ still handed over £50 profit to the Rotary pot!

Many thanks are due to those who helped on the night, especially my ‘mentor’ Ann Thompson from Inner Wheel, whose assistance and experience in the build-up to the event were invaluable.  I am not going to start thanking other individuals because I am sure to miss someone out, but they know who they are, and can all be certain of my gratitude for what they did.

I was probably guilty of taking too much on my own shoulders after noticing an early lack-of-interest among my colleagues but now that we have proved a Silent Auction can be successfully run, I will try to form a small sub-committee to help prepare for the next one.