Eighth annual Hospitality Action Polo Day raises over £50,000

Oliver Harvey sponsored the 8th Annual Hospitality Action Polo Day on the 17th September, an event which raised over £50,000.

Oliver Harvey sponsored the 8th Annual Hospitality Action Polo Day on the 17th September, an event which raised over £50,000.

Seven award-winning chefs from the South West came together on Sunday 17th September at Beaufort Polo Club in Gloucestershire to raise over £50,000 for Hospitality Action. The event, which sold out in record time, was catered for by Richard Davies (Calcot), André Garrett (Cliveden House), Robby Jenks (The Vineyard), Hywel Jones (Lucknam Park), Niall Keating (Whatley Manor), Rob Potter (The Manor House) and Rupert Taylor (Abbey Hotel). Oliver Harvey sponsored the event with specially embroidered chef jackets.

Well-known industry figures, including William Baxter CBE, Harry Murray MBE Chairman of Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa and Philip de Ternant Managing Director of Creed Foodservice, all attended the event. There they enjoyed a Tattinger Champagne and canapé reception, prior to the final of the Sidebottom Cup. Guests also tucked in to an outstanding three-course lunch, which included roast belly and cider braised cheek of Wiltshire pork, sage and caramelised onion risotto, tender stem broccoli and Brillat Savarin cheesecake, blackberry jelly, confit lemon, blackberry sorbet. The meal was accompanied by wine kindly donated by Hatch Mansfield.

Students from the City of Bath College acted as front of house staff alongside service professionals from the Abbey Hotel, Barnsley House, Calcot, Cliveden House, Lucknam Park, The Manor House, The Painswick, The Pig and The Vineyard. Creed Foodservice very kindly helped to arrange the day’s logistics and Clifton Coffee supported with a wonderful coffee bar.

Hywel Jones, Executive Chef, Lucknam Park Hotel said: “I am proud to have been involved with this event for a number of years now. This year, as we celebrate Hospitality Action’s 180th birthday, it felt even more special than normal. I was joined by some fantastic chefs – and I’m sure they’ll agree we were lucky enough to work with some great ingredients, provided by Walter Rose and Sons butchers, Total Produce and Flying Fish Seafoods. It’s great to see so much generosity and support for a worthwhile cause.”

Andrew Foulkes, General Manager of the Abbey Hotel, Bath and Hospitality Action South West Board Member said: “I used to attend this event as a guest but in recent years I jumped at the chance to be involved in helping to organise it. The Polo Day exemplifies everything I love about the industry and it is great to see everyone pull together to ensure its continued success. Yet again tickets sold out almost instantly which is a true testament to the hard work everyone puts in.”

For more information about Hospitality Action and to learn about future events, visit www.hospitalityaction.org.uk. To be the first to hear about the 2018 Polo Day please email: [email protected].