The Tribune

AN atmosphere comparable to a London luxury hotel, the ambience of Government House’s gardens, the relaxing view of Nassau Harbour, soft orchestral music, hats, gloves, a fashion show, raffles and prizes – put them all together and you have the annual tea party event hosted by the Heart Ball Committee.

Under the theme, “Victorian High Tea”, the 2014/15 Heart Ball Committee hosted their ninth annual Tea Party & Fashion Show at Government House. The emcee for the afternoon was Sheila Bethel and she was dressed for the occasion.

The event was deemed a great success by co-chair Coretta Owen.

According to Mrs Owen, “It was one of the best tea parties we’ve hosted. The logistics simply flowed.”

Students from Queen’s College, accompanied by their music teacher, played live orchestral music that wooed the crowd and welcomed them.

Guests entered the beautifully transformed setting, and sat at tables replicating tea time at various hotels in London, from the Savoy to the Ritz. Many guests were excited and amazed at the commitment of the table decorators who vied to win the table decorating contests.

Twinning’s served cold and hot beverages throughout the afternoon. This coupled with the d�cor, treats, ambiance and entertainment, provided a relaxing and fun evening for family and friends.

Vendors lined the southern boundary showcasing their work, affording guests the opportunity to preview and purchase possible Christmas gifts. The vendors included: Banesian Designs, Armani Jewellers, Sheekie’s Handmade Products; Curly Curl, Exquisite Scents, HMP Bags, Rik Carey, J & J Photo Imaging, Beth’s Kitchen and Twinings.

The guests were treated to a fashion show with stylish pieces from the Seventeen Shop, BCBG Cable Beach and Brynda Knowles Collection, modelled by Portia Nottage, Sheniqua Musgrove and Patrice Taylor.

Guests were treated to a special segment consisting of a show with hats from Pamela Rolle’s collection, designed by Keith Dawkins. The Rolle sisters modelled the hats, leaving guests wishing for more and seeking to acquire similar head wear.

In addition to the teas, fashion and hats, guests and table decorators came hoping to win prizes. The winner of the table judging competition was Carolyn Evans. The second and third place prizes went to Coretta Owen and the team of Latonia Tinker and Darel Clayton respectively.

The winner of the hat competition, chosen from the audience, was Leah Rolle. The top prize for the in-house raffle went to Keniqua Whitehouse.

As a major sponsor, Twinings provided special prizes. They offered a table prize for one lucky winner at each table. That individual took home a tea chest filled with an assortment of Twinings teas. Additionally, Twinings topped their presentation for the afternoon with a special room raffle prize – a Twinings Tea party for 12, inclusive of dishes, teas, servers and more. This prize was won by Michelangiolio Baccelli.

Ingrid sears, public relations Officer for the Heart Ball Committee, said: “We are very grateful to all who helped us to make this event a great success; this includes our guests. Thank you for your support. The afternoon was very entertaining.

“We want the public to please remember us as the holidays approach. You can make a donation that can help to repair a child’s heart. No amount is ever too small and every penny counts. Also, our Annual Heart Ball is scheduled for February 14, 2015, Valentine’s Day. Please save the date and plan to attend. You can share this memorable moment with family and friends while helping to repair a child’s heart. Please invest in our future and help to repair a child’s heart.”

The Heart Ball Committee is the fundraising arm of the Sir Victor Sassoon (Bahamas) Heart Foundation, commonly referred to as the Heart Foundation.

The Heart Foundation helps to repair the hearts of children who cannot ordinarily afford heart care.