Bill Turnbull, Jo Giffen and Hugh Dennis
Giffen Group, (the electrical installation, maintenance and railway infrastructure contractor) recently celebrated its Centenary at a charity dinner held at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London.
Guests were entertained by BBC Breakfast TV’s Bill Turnbull, who hosted the evening, and leading comedy actor and writer Hugh Dennis. Other attendees on the night included MP for St. Albans, Anne Main and The Mayor of St. Albans, Chris Oxley.
Central to the dinner was an auction of artwork produced by Students of Oaklands College: Earlier in the year Giffen Group had issued Foundation Year art students with a design brief based on the activities of the Company. Some 90 pieces were produced by the students with the best 34 being displayed at an exhibition at St. Albans Town Hall in April. A panel of judges then chose the winning pieces which were auctioned at the dinner. All proceeds from the auction will go to Giffen Group’s nominated charity for the year, The Cancer Treatment and Research Trust Appeal (CTRT), based at Mount Vernon Hospital in Hertfordshire. The auction at the Centenary dinner raised over £6k, in addition to the £4900 already raised at the exhibition.
Other Centenary fund raising initiatives by Giffen Group included a John O’Groats to Lands End cycle ride and Jo Giffen’s (Giffen Group Chairman) completion of the Fastnet Yacht Race. Further fund raising events are planned before the end of the year with the Company expecting to raise in excess of £50,000 for the charity.
Commenting on the dinner Jo Giffen said.
“It was a fantastic night and I am absolutely delighted with the generosity of our guests. Bill Turnbull did a tremendous job of encouraging auction bids and it was fitting that someone of Hugh’s stature was there to further entertain the guests. The dinner capped 100 years of trading for Giffen Group; despite our size we retain a family feel and this gathering of friends, former employees and clients was a fitting tribute to our longevity and business ethos.”
