Coastal Cottages of Pembrokeshire have just released the final figures of their charity ball, held at the De Valence Pavilion in Tenby, on November 3.
The evening was a complete sell-out and the surprise act of the three tenors really did bring the house down, as well as the 10-piece band that flew in from around Europe to mark the occasion. "Lorna and Geoff Greasley from Al fresco Catering demonstrated their normal brilliance in making catering to 200 people look remarkably simple," said Sue Ravenscroft, commercial manager at Coastal Cottages.
"The auction itself raised a considerable amount of money and we must thank Kylie Minogue, Ben Hunt Davies, Jonathon Davies, Ieuan Evans, Rolf Harries, Paul McKenna, Frank Warren and all the local companies who offered such fantastic prizes. We have personally thanked everyone involved," continued Sue.
"These events really do rely on public support; as we can pull in the acts and the prizes, but you still need people to come along, pay to be there and also bid. So a very big thank you goes out to everyone who found the time to come along, spend the evening with us and simply were so generous for a very worthy cause."
The biggest smile of the evening went to Martin Fisher, of Tenby House, who spent all his pocket money on the 'Rolf Harries Collection' which has taken pride of place next to his Action Man collection in his bedroom!
Coastal Cottages had a fabulous year that started with the county's first ever company entering the Sunday Times top 100.
Since January, they have been featured in over 300 national titles promoting the county and its attractions.
Matthew Evans, group chairman, said: "It has been an incredible year, despite the weather in July and August. Early signs are that 2008 will follow suit and patterns are showing that Pembrokeshire is now a lead destination for the UK and we must continue to deliver quality and value in everything we do as a county.
"I would like to thank everyone who has been so supportive of us and the ball. As I said on the night, we are continually faced with choices in our lives and the fact that 200 people made the choice to give up their Friday night, to spend it with us to raise money for Cancer Research, was very humbling.
"On a final note, I would like to thank Christine Brown and all her team at the De Valence, for a completely professional and dynamic performance. The De Valence is a fabulous asset to Tenby and it really should be at the heart of both Tenby and the county's development plans for the future."