1993 November - Fundraising in the village
November, 93
THE WHOLE VILLAGE HELPING
1993 has become a “Landmark” year in the history of our twin villages of Seavington St. Michael and Seavington St. Mary.
No one can have failed to be aware that intensive fund-raising has been going on all year. The Village Hall Fund has held everything from a pancake race, bingo and quiz sessions to a harvest supper and St Michael’s Church Fund arranged activities such as an open gardens weekend, lenten lunch, garden party, prize draw, etc.
The villagers have been wonderfully generous to both funds - but the village and its life have also benefited. People have joined in the various social functions and met others they may have never got to know otherwise, old friends have been drawn back together, the dividing line between “old villagers” and “newcomers” has been bridged, and the village has gained a reputation in the surrounding area as “the place to be”, “the village where something is always happening”.
One benefit in which both funds shared was the interest in the funds taken by Edmondo and Jacqueline Paoloni, proprietors of The Pheasant Hotel and Restaurant. Mr. & Mrs Paoloni, became the owners of “The Pheasant” in 1980. Mr Paoloni has had extensive experience of the catering industry. Trained in Italy and Switzerland, he came to England in 1960 to help out a friend who was, at that time, manager of The Grand Hotel, Birmingham. He intended to stay for six months. Within three months he had met his wife Jacqueline and decided to settle in England. For 20 years he managed some of the top London hotels, becoming chairman of the Hotel Managers’ Association.
Mr & Mrs Paoloni had often felt that they would like to run their own establishment, but it had to be one which would give scope for their experience and standards of excellence.