Dear Members,
Jai Jinendra and Jai Shree Krishna
The President wished all members and guest Happy New Year and welcomed them to our Diwali Damaka 2025 event.
The gates were opened around 10:25 am. Members scanned their cards and entered the hall. At the entrance members received Diwali gift bags, which contained a bottle of water, one packet of crisps and Ferrero Roché chocolate. Members were very pleased with the presentation. Slowly more and more members started to come. Our volunteers were at the entrance to check and help members with their sitting arrangements. By around 11am, 200 members had turned up.
At 11:05am, the President welcomed members and guests and requested all to be seated in their places so that Marina and her group can start the program with religious offering songs. This was followed by Bollywood hit songs which saw the dance floor full of members enjoying the dancing. Out in the foyer committee members were busy sorting out various issues of members coming in. Marina and her group entertained the members with their melody of various songs.
Part 1of the day was stopped at around 12:40 pm so that we can start with announcements and draw winning tickets for the raffle prizes donated.
DONATIONS
- £40 FROM DHANVANT DAMANI.
- £35 FROM AN ANONYMOUS DONOR
- £88 FROM HANSABEN PATANI FOR HER 88TH BIRTHDAY NEXT WEEK
- £1001 FROM JAYSUKHLAL MEHTA IN LOVING MEMORY OF HIS WIFE LATE BHADRABEN MEHTA
- £101 FROM KIRTI DESAI ON THE OCCASION OF HIS WIFE HARSHA DESAI’S BIRTHDAY ON 26TH OF OCTOBER
- £35 FROM KUSUM PUNATER AS KHUSHI BHET FOR DIWALI.
- 5 raffle prices were anonymously donated for this event.
- 2 Diwali hampers were donated by Lalit and Chandrika Mehta for best dressed male and best dress female traditional wear,
- Bottle packet of crisps which we gave in gift bags at the entrance was donated by Seju and Priti Shah, son and daughter in law of late Shardaben Shah, who was our member. Their family has always been a regular donor to NVK.
WINNERS OF THE RAFFLE PRIZES AS FOLLOWS:
- 1st prize a cake stand again from Stacey Solomon range donated anonymously and won by Harshaben Desai.
- 2nd prize a tea pot from the Stacey Solomon range donated by an anonymous donor and won by Bharati Doshi.
- 3rd prize a serving tray from the Stacey Solomon range donated by an anonymous donor and won by Shobhna Shah.
- 4th prize was a ladies wristwatch donated by anonymous donor and won by Kundanben Parekh
- 5th prize was a men’s wrist watch donated by BT Shah and won by Naresh Doshi..
Diwali hamper for best dressed female was won by Rajniben Damani.
Diwali Hamper for best dressed male was won by Prabhulal Narsi shah.
On behalf of the Kendra many congratulations to all the winners.
On behalf of the Kendra many thanks to all the donors.
The band sang happy birthday song for Hansaben and Harshaben.
Lunch was served from around 1 pm. The delicious lunch had 11 variety items plus one sweet paan for all. Members had enjoyed their lunch and praised good taste of food by our caterers Meera's.
Part 2 of the day started with more melodious songs from the group. All members and guests were once again on the floor enjoying the music. The last item was a garba following which the day had come to an end. All those who attended left having throughly enjoyed our Diwali Dhamaka event.
4. Today's attendance: 279
5. Food ordered: 290
6. Proceeds from the sale of food : £59