Brie-licious! cheese and wine enjoyed at charity event

A new addition to the Rockinghorse events calendar, the charity’s Cheese and Wine Evening took place on Thursday 13 February at the Old Ship Hotel in Brighton.

The hotel’s hidden cellar bar and dining room provided the perfect setting for the pre-Valentine’s event. Guests were treated to a selection of local cheeses, stunning wines and great company.

Steeped in history, the Old Ship is the oldest hotel in Brighton. Built in 1559, the cellar rooms and adjoining tunnels are thought to have been used by smugglers bringing goods into England from France.

Upon arrival, a welcome glass of Bolney sparkling wine greeted the 28 guests in attendance. They gathered around a candle lit oak table in the Cellar Room to listen to Helen Chesshire from The Bolney Wine Estate. Five beautiful Bolney wines were paired up with a great selection of local Sussex cheeses, donated by The Cheese Hut.

Guests also had the chance to sample Bolney’s newest addition – a Gin that was released late last year. Helen’s knowledge engaged the guests wholeheartedly, guiding them through each pairing one by one. She gave insight into the ingredients used in each blend, the history of the grapes and wines, and how they were all produced which made for a very informative and enjoyable evening.

The evening ended with a Rockinghorse raffle and over £1,300 was raised from the event. The winner took home a food and wine hamper full of Sussex based treats, including a bottle of Bolney Sparkling wine along with two tickets to the show, Funk: A Music Revolution, kindly donated by The Brighton Dome.

Stella is Events Fundraising Manager at Rockinghorse, she says, “We’d like to thank everyone involved in making the evening such a success. Thank you to Bolney Wine Estate for donating the wines and of course to Helen for guiding us so enjoyably through the evening.

“Thank you to the Cheese Hut for donating a wonderful selection of cheeses and to ASDA in Brighton Marina for donating the crackers and breads. The Old Ship Hotel made our vision come to life, and for that we are very grateful. Finally, thanks to our guests who helped us raise over £1,300 for our projects in Sussex.

“We’ll be hosting another Cheese and Wine event in the upcoming months, so please do keep an eye out for more information.”

Rockinghorse is the official fundraising arm of the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Brighton and a vital supporter of the neighbouring Trevor Mann Baby Unit. The charity raises funds for life-saving and cutting-edge equipment, services and items to ensure that children and babies are treated in an environment better suited to their needs.

To find out more, visit www.rockinghorse.org.uk.