Recently I was lucky enough to join new and enthusiastic (I4S publisher) CMPi conference organiser Louise Challis onboard the Dixie Queen for the Security Institute’s Annual Lunch.
After some unsettled weather earlier in the week, the sun was out and the mercury was on the rise as we boarded the vessel, moored by Tower Bridge on the Thames.
The Dixie Queen itself is a pretend Mississippi-style paddleboat, lovingly constructed in the memory of all of the pretend Mississippi-style paddleboats that worked the Thames so many years ago. (Part of this sentence may not be wholly accurate.)
Luxuriously kitted out inside, it played host to over 175 of the great and the good of the Security Institute and their guests, who were treated to not one, but two passes of Tower Bridge – with the London landmark opening up for our very benefit each time, allowing us to pass through and causing only minor disruption to the midweek traffic. I’m sure they enjoyed it as much as we did.
After that it was a cruise out towards the Thames barrier, passing Canary Wharf and Greenwich on the way. Lunch (pork – delicious, thanks) was served and a fairly significant quantity of wine consumed.
Money was raised for charity through donations – and prizes were received in the form of a raffle, as well as a dining-room wide game of heads and tails. “The charity money is going to Help for Heroes, and we hope to present the cheque to Phil Packer and his Help for Heroes GB pound 1million campaign,” Security Institute general manager Di Thomas said. (Read more about this here).
By the time we docked again at St Katherine’s Pier, the wine was competing with the motion of the river for control of my legs. In a good way, mind you.
A wobbly end to a very enjoyable afternoon, fooling about on a boat on the river. Many thanks to Di Thomas and the Security Institute.
The next major Security Institute event is its 2008 conference – a brochure is available for download on the right.