THE IX Charity Golf Tournament was held recently on the Victoria Golf Course in Vilamoura, followed by a gala dinner and show at the Casino de Vilamoura.
This year, the money raised, around 50,000 euros net at the time of going to press, is to be donated to the following local institutions:
• Obra da Nossa Senhora das Candeias, Olhão, home for orphaned children.
• Instituto D. Francisco Gomes, “Casa dos Rapazes”, Faro boys’ home.
• Associação de Surdos do Algarve, an association that supports people with hearing difficulties.
• Associação de Portadores de Trissomia 21 do Algarve (APATRIS), an association that supports people with Down’s Syndrome.
Golfers competed in a Stableford Pairs Better Ball Tournament on the luscious fairways and greens of the Victoria Golf Course, which was donated exclusively for the day by Lusotur Golfes, one of the event’s main sponsors. The main golf course sponsor was Newlyn Developments. Golf Winners were: 1st Dan Mathews and Adrian Rumble, 2nd James Padfield and John Langslow, 3rd Valerie Londot and Amy Bray.
In the evening, both golfers and their guests met at the casino for pre-dinner cocktails (sponsored by Vodafone) and the gala dinner (sponsored by Oceânico Group; wine sponsored by Danshape).
A total of around 350,000 euros has been raised since the first edition of this event was held in 1998. The organisers always donate the proceeds to local charities, as they believe it is a way for both participants and sponsors, who are mainly local, to put something back into the community, in which they live and work.
The patrons of the event are the Câmara de Comércio Luso-Britânica, the Portuguese Chamber, the British Embassy in Lisbon and the Royal British Club. The Guest of Honour, HM Ambassador to Portugal, Mr John Buck, was represented by Mr Richard Turner, also from the Embassy, who attended the gala dinner and presented the prizes to the winners.
Next year, the event will return to its normal single day format, which was not possible this year due to renovations at the casino. So, do not forget to join the event on Saturday, January 27, 2007, to be held, once again, at the Victoria Golf Course with gala dinner at the casino. Visit website www.annualcharityvilamoura.com for further details of this year’s event.
