LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

With the movie industry awards season fast approaching, a sprinkling of stardust fell briefly over Ewhurst on the evening of Thursday, September 11, as we rolled out the red carpet at our Tinseltown-themed annual staff party, 2025.

A glowing marquee tunnel greeted the arrival of our VIP staff – each a star in their own right – as a velvet rope cordon (carefully positioned to deter the paparazzi) guided guests along a walkway towards what would prove be an unforgettable evening.

Picture perfect

The ‘Hollywood and Beyond’ dress code elicited a show-stopping selection of elegant gowns and classic tuxedos in a dashing display of ‘showbiz’ style that was enough to make any A-lister envious and set the scene for an evening of celebration.

In keeping with the celebrity ambience, the intermittent sound of popping corks provided a lively background to the flashing cameras and steady hum of joyful conversation. The photo booth with its themed props and glitter-edged prints proved highly popular, offering some little light-hearted silliness to a queue of excited partygoers eager to record the occasion – and if you look carefully above, you’ll see Elvis was ‘in the building’ ready to partake in some much sought after selfies.

Feasting on fame

If an army marches on its stomach, then a host of hungry fun-seekers must surely look to fuel their frivolity with a ready supply of tempting treats, and our party was no exception. Caterers Man With a Pan supplied a delicious selection of steak, prawns, lamb, halloumi, cauliflower steaks, and much more – all paired with crisp salads – followed by a range of indulgent desserts.

There was something for everyone, including those who came back for seconds, and even thirds (especially the barbecue enthusiasts). But ‘man cannot live by bread alone’… and it was soon time to boogie!

Dance like no-one’s watching

Encouraging everyone to let their hair down, the DJ kept the dance floor pulsating with a heady mixture of familiar crowd-pleasers and ‘guilty pleasures’ from the likes of ABBA and Beyoncé. But while everyone managed to display some impressive foot tapping and hip swinging, a few of the more flamboyant moves drew the occasional tongue-in-cheek expression of comic concern from the off-duty physios present. It was certainly good exercise, though, and an ideal way to achieve those 10,000 steps.

And the winner is…

An important part of the evening’s proceedings involved our own presentation ceremony, honouring the loyalty and dedication of some of our longest serving members of staff whose commitment and compassion are at the heart of everything we do.

This year we were proud to make the following awards:
– Five Years Service: Ali Dicalingan, Jorge Cias Calinao, Hongge Guan
– Ten Years Service: Paul Richards (Dave)
– Twenty Years Service: Giselle De Klerk
Our sincere thanks to you all.

Heads, I win; Tails you, lose: A special thank-you, also, to Susan who generously donated her Christmas raffle prize: a £300 voucher. The new recipient was decided by a fun round of Heads or Tails, which was eventually won by Emmanuel.
Congratulations to our lucky winner.

Looking ahead

At the end of such an enjoyable event, thoughts inevitably turn to the next. But before we do, our sincere thanks go out to all who made this one so memorable; from the DJ and the caterers to all those behind the scenes who made it possible and everyone who took part, bringing their positive energy along with them.

A staff party book will follow in due course, capturing all the best moments. In the meantime, have a look back through your photos – and if you spot a certain ‘King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ lurking in the background, be sure to let us know.

Until next year, then….