Just over a year to go to the most exciting event in the hundred year history of the Old Eds, our Centenary Dinner. We will be travelling to Twickenham, the home of English rugby, on Saturday 5th June 2010. If you are a Centurion you will have at the back of your mind that fact that we're going to Twickers for our dinner, but not much idea about what is planned. Well, we're now able to let you know the full extent of the experience that awaits you.
Coaches will leave Nuneaton at 12.00 midday and make their way to the Marriot Hotel at Twickenham where we will be block booking 100 rooms. We're getting them at a great price for a major London Hotel, £135 per room, so if you're sharing, £67.50 per person. If you're going on your own but don't mind sharing, we can arrange that for you. All the twin rooms have two double beds in them. Click on hotel to see a video of the Marriot at Twickenham.
At around 3.30 pm we'll have a drinks and canapes reception in the Members Lounge. This is in the heart of the stadium with a great view over the pitch. During this reception we'll have the opportunity to visit the England Changing rooms, walk out onto the pitch and have our photos taken in the Royal box. You're also welcome to bring your own cameras to record this unique event. Click on lounge for a view of the members lounge.
5.30pm and it's back to the hotel to prepare for the Dinner ahead, Gentlemen to change into their Dinner Jackets, the Ladies into their Ball Gowns. The hotel has a well appointed bar and coffee area to meet in before we make our way back to the Members Lounge for pre-dinner drinks at 7.15pm. At 8.15pm we'll move downstairs to the "Spirit of Rugby" room. This is where the players have their post-match banquets so we'll be in eating in the same room as the greats of the modern rugby era. We have the President of the RFU booked to speak, our own president and hopefully the president of Warwickshire (though we haven't asked him yet!). When the dinner is finished there is an ante room with armchairs where we can socialise into the early hours of the morning. The bar, which is included in the price, for beers, wines and soft drinks, is open until 1.00 am.
On Sunday morning, breakfast is included in the price of the room but asprins are not ! We'll nurse our sore heads on the coaches down to Kingston and catch a paddle steamer for a trip up (or down, who knows) the river to Hampton Court and back. Around 3.30pm we'll board the coaches for the trip back to Nuneaton and hopefully arrive at about 6.00pm.
And what will all this cost? If you are a member of the Centurions, it'll only cost you the price of the hotel. If you aren't a member of the Centurions it'll cost you £150 for the travel, receptions, dinner and Thames cruise, plus your hotel. If you share with someone that'll make a grand total of just over £200, pretty good value when you consider what a trip to a London musical plus hotel plus dinner would cost you. That is the plan.....what we need now is to know whether you want to come. Please let us know initially by filling in the form on the Contact us page.
Let us know whether you are:
1) a member of the Centurions i.e. you pay a standing order to the Centenary Fund for a single or double membership (please say which).
2) travelling alone and don't want to share.
3) travelling alone and don't mind sharing
4) Travelling with a partner / friend with whom you wish to share. Please state in this case whether you are both members of the Centurions or whether one is a guest. For example I am a single member of the Centurions but my wife wishes to come to the dinner as a guest. I will be paying the extra £150 for her dinner.
There are over 100 members of the Centurions so places are limited. Let us know as soon as you can whether you want to attend so that we can ensure that you are not disappointed.
Craig Court Mr & Mrs John Burdett Mr & Mrs John Jones Mr & Mrs John Sparkes Mr & Mrs Bill Ormerod
Mr & Mrs M Lingard