Christmas afternoon tea

On Tuesday 9^th December some 25 guests were hosted to tea by members of the Community Services Team at the Novotel Hotel for a Christmas afternoon tea. Members of the team, together with partners, collected our guests from their homes and hosted them at the hotel. Amongst our guests were those referred by Age UK and who are collected weekly by taxi and taken to the University of York for the Tea and Coffee project. Students spend time in informal conversation and they joined with us together with two students from the University one of whom has now become a friend of Rotary. 

An excellent Christmas buffet was supplied by the hotel at a modest cost and Mike and Ros Hay provided very enjoyable entertainment by leading seasonal Christmas songs for all to sing, Ros presenting two cello solos and Mike reading an apt Christmas poem by John Betjeman. The event was held in the Riverside Suite which was festively decorated. President Paul offered a welcome and also spoke briefly about the work of York Rotary.

All the guests received a Christmas present carefully sourced and wrapped by Jane Albon.

This was a new venture planned to replace the annual trip to the Pantomime, and the occasion provided a more relaxed opportunity for guests and Rotarians to enjoy good food and good conversation not to mention the hearty singing with several members of the Rotary Choir present giving solid support to the carols and Christmas songs.   

The healthy 'buzz' at the conclusion seemed to indicate that this was an experiment worthy trying and something to be considered in future years. 

John Wainwright