Mayor’s Charity Event success at fire-stricken Carus Green

Carus Green Golf Club recovered from a shocking fire to host the Mayor of Kendal’s Charity Dinner on Friday evening. Staff at the Burneside Road club pulled out all the stops to ensure that Mayor Cllr Doug Rathbone’s event could go ahead. Diners raised over £1,000 for the Mayor’s two charities – Kendal Debt Centre and The Well Communities.

Before the meal, guests were entertained by the massed voices of the K-Shoes Male Voice Choir, the award-winning performers who take their name from the K-Shoe Factory, which once dominated the southern half of Kendal. An extra bonus was the natural light display through the venue’s picture windows, as an evening shower created vivid rainbows before a golden sunset over the surrounding fells.

In the company of newly installed High Sherriff of Cumbria, Samantha Scott, and a complement of Deputy Lord Lieutenants, Mayors, Councillors, businesses and charities guests enjoyed a three course meal of local beef, chicken or a meat-free option, saving space for warm chocolate brownie, banoffee trifle or lemon and ginger cheesecake, all accompanied by locally produced ice cream.

Speakers from the Well Communities and Kendal Debt Centre spoke passionately about their work, reminding diners what the cause was for. Mayor of Kendal Cllr Rathbone said, ‘it was a fantastic effort from staff at Carus Green to be back in business so soon after the challenge of a fire, but everyone was delighted with the event. It was amazing to be able to enjoy the K Shoes Choir entertaining us and wonderful to share the stories and work done in our town by my two mayoral charities.”

Cllr Rathbone concludes his Mayoral Year at the end of April, and will make his charity presentations at the Town Council’s Mayor Making Ceremony in the Town Hall on 18