Aycliffe Community Engagement ACE, held its first Charity event at their new home at the Big Club on Friday evening. Greeting guests on the door were Alison Firby and Kath Pinner. Trustees of ACE all contributed in helping the evening run smoothly.
Geoff Batchelor, Vice Chairman of ACE and the MC for the evening welcomed the mayor and all present.
Newton Aycliffe Mayor John Clarke was a guest at the event and paid tribute to Syd Howarth MBE the founder of GACAP the forerunner of ACE. The evening was tinged with sadness due to the recent death of its founder and president. The evening was though a celebration of what Syd did for the people of Newton Aycliffe.
Groovy Street kicked off the evening with their usual energetic tribute to music from the 70’s. David Brittle Singer Songwriter and Acoustic guitarist paid his first visit to the Big Club and played a wide range of music, in his own unique style.
County Councillor and Town Councillor Eddy Adam drew the raffle. There was a popular cash prize raffle and a prize raffle organised by Val Fawcett a partner of ACE. Geoff Batchelor, a trustee for ACE, added his thanks to all those who had donated prizes for the raffle. Our thanks in particular to Tesco and Husquvana for their donations.
Joan Mitchie, treasurer for ACE and formerly secretary since its formation in 2013 asked the audience if they liked ACE’s new logo. Companies pay thousands of pounds for logo designs she said but the idea for the new logo for ACE came from her young grandson Daniel Brittle, aged 8, who had heard Ron Mitchie, Chairman of ACE and founder member of GACAP talking to me about the new logo. He suggested the design was quite simple. Daniel had said “As you are now at the Big Club and your name is ACE, surely you should be the ACE OF CLUBS”. So the logo came into being. Newton Press has helped over the past couple of weeks with ID tags and the large ACE of Clubs signs were proudly on view.
ACE Chairman Ron Mitchie wants to thank all who supported their first fund raising event and said to look out for more events in the New Year.
The Trustees of Aycliffe Community Engagement, ACE, would like to thank all those who attended their Charity Concert on Friday evening. The money raised will help those in need in Aycliffe.
On the evening there were two unclaimed prizes, both tickets were white and are numbers 469 and 507. Claims for the prizes should be made to Geoff Batchelor on 07721 459790. Prizes will be held until Friday 30th November. Any prizes not claimed will be raffled again at the next event held by ACE.
