Vintage party raises money for campaign

Vintage party raises money for campaign

24 February 2016

BALLYNAHINCH Branch of the Royal British legion held a successful vintage tea party on Saturday in aid of the War Memorial restoration fund. 

Margaret Armstrong and her helpers transformed the Legion Hall into a smart café, complete with linen table cloths, flower posies and fine china. By mid morning there was a brisk trade on the tables, despite the wet grey February weather outside. 

Ballykine Women’s LOL 122 and some others came in WW2 costume, contributing to the party atmosphere. Glen Miller music played in the background and apron-clad back room boys in the kitchen struggled to keep up, washing dishes and buttering fresh scones.

The event raised a total of £800, including sales of ballot tickets and a street collection.

Paving of the Diamond at the War Memorial is now almost completed, and the contract for new floodlighting has been placed. Requests for omitted names to be added to the restored cenotaph are still coming in and a full list will be presented for approval to Newry, Mourne and Down Council in due course.

The Restoration Committee’s next fundraising venture is a St Patrick’s night concert, to be held in the Millbrook Lodge Hotel. Tickets, priced at £10, are available from the UPS office in Main Street, from Urban Framing in Pinewick Business Park and from the hotel itself. Numbers are limited.