What’s been happening in November?
Key Friends of the Gari updates:
First of our frequent ‘thank-yous’ to the people who make the pub what it is goes to those who dressed up for our Hallowe’en Party on Sat 29 Oct, and especially the ones who warmed up their vocal cords and gave them a workout to suitably scary songs spun by our ‘Garioke’ guru Mark. Admittedly, some of the songs weren’t inherently scarily-themed, but that soon changed during some of our renditions! Good family fun was had by all until 9pm and thereafter the adults-only section was fun too!
Second-up, and arguably our finest hour during the last few weeks, was our Winter Beer Festival. The turnout was possibly the highest yet seen for an indoor fest (no official count available but there seemed to be loads in when I was there – unless the double- vision had set in early… – Ed) and feedback on the selection was very positive. Thanks not just to attendees who managed to quaff- off nearly all 12 beers on the menu across the three days, but also Shiv and the Bar Team for getting it together – much work goes into a beer fest even at our humble level: besides choosing and ordering the casks, there’s assembling the stillage, taking deliveries, racking, tapping ‘n’ spiling, and finally serving to thirsty punters, all the while checking the supply suits the demand. Well done folks; it ran seamlessly. We’re getting rather good at these fests!
Third – the garden. Sarah and the Garden Group are now in the process of winding-down the garden as we prepare for the winter lull (not that it’ll be closed, as something special’s set to happen there in coming weeks – see the next item!). As always, additional help for this – and for garden duties more widely – would always be welcomed. Either speak to Sarah or leave your contact number at the bar and she can add you to the GG WhatsApp group to advise on what needs doing. The next key dates GG-wise are: Bulb-planting session – from 10am, Sat 26 Nov. This is to get prepping the garden for our spring displays. Why not get the kids involved?
Garden Group meeting – 10am, Sun 11 Dec. The regular GG members would love anyone interested to join and be briefed on what’s being planned.
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– What’s On –
Quiz Night:
Fortnightly from Thur 24th Nov
Music Bingo:
Fortnightly from Thur 1st Dec
Meat Raffle
Every Sunday – 5.00pm
‘Forces Fry-Up’: Monthly – next event 10.30am, Sat 17th Dec (pre-booking essential)
FIFA World Cup:
Showing all Matches after 12pm
3Times7 Acoustic: Live music
Sat 26th Nov – 8pm
Christmas Market: 26th/27th Dec
Last but far from least – ooooh, didn’t we do well?!! I am referring of course to our canny win of the Carling World Cup package, which amounts to no less than £8,000 worth of equipment bestowed upon us for free to enable enhanced enjoyment of this year’s men’s football tournament; the one we all want to win above all others. The kick-off is of course Sun 20 Nov and fingers crossed all the kit is installed and ready for use on the day, with the England match showing on Fri 25th Nov. Don’t be put off by the fact it’s outdoors peeps – there is a marquee to fend off moisture, lighting to overcome the dark, and hot water bottles and blankets to beat back the cold! We hope this will be the best venue for World Cup ’22 showings in the area, but come see for yourselves and support your local while you’re at it. “Come on Eng-er-land!” (or “come on Wa-er-les!” if you’re that way inclined – sorry Scot-erland and N Ire-er-land fans; this ain’t your year but maybe see you in ’26 if you work really hard?!).
Regular fundraising activities:
EasyFundRaising– you must all know the drill by now with this! Just think ‘pub’ (let’s face it most of us are most of the time anyway!) and then think ‘Gari’ before spending your steadily-dwindling amounts of disposable income on online buys.
The Garibaldi Pub One Lottery – again, as you know, a £1 ticket could just transform itself into a £25,000 payout! But even if it doesn’t, you know you’ve done a good thing and that’s priceless isn’t it!
‘Your Fund Surrey – Join The Local Conversation’ – in pursuit of longer-term possibility of purchasing our pub’s freehold.
Meat raffles – see below – all proceeds going to our garden fund as per.
What’s on – regular events:
Meat raffle – weekly at 5pm, from Sun 20 Nov – don’t let the usual suspects keep winning!
Quiz night – fortnightly at 8pm, from Thu 24 Nov
‘Music Bingo’ – fortnightly at 8pm, from Thu 1 Dec.
‘Forces Fry-up’ – monthly at 10am, from Sat 17 Dec – now an established fixture in the diary for many forces- affiliated folk, come and salute Sgt Shiv and her inn-fantry as they whip up fabulous fulsome food: note the December ‘FFU’ will be a special Christmas brunch, and pre-booking is essential please folks.
What’s on – one-off events:
FIFA Men’s Football World Cup 2022 – Sun 20 Nov to Sun 18 Dec – as proudly introduced above, matches will be shown on our large screen in The Circle from beginning to end of the battle for the only cup that counts! In acknowledgement of the proven popularity of this tournament, the pub will be open from 12pm every day throughout, with Bhunny’s serving food during matches. Please see our tournament listings for details. The blankets and hot water bottles will be available for a small returnable deposit; just ask at the bar and ye shall receive.
Live acoustic music night – from 8pm, Sat 26 Nov – we can now confirm that our old friends 3Times7 will be back with us to deliver appealing acoustic-only tunes for your aural delectation.
FOTG members’ mixer event – from 6pm, Wed 14 Dec – similar to our summer mixer, everyone is free to come and chew the cud with various FOTG members and ask any questions you may have, or dare we say even volunteer to get involved! It’s all informal; just bowl up and feel free to approach us.
Christmas markets – 12-10pm, Fri 16 to Sat 17 Dec – details in the last newsletter and there is a poster on our wall, but nevertheless these bear repeating: this is our second seasonal selection of local artisanal and craft products, set for the weekend ahead of the big event itself. Lots of talented crafters and artisans will be there to show and sell their wares. This is as ever a charitable endeavour, in which we’ll be in collaboration with The Redhill and Redstone Rotarians, Furnistore, Men In Sheds, Women’s Refuge and The Renewed Hope Trust for the first time to produce a unique event. We will be loading Santa’s sleigh ready for delivery the week after and so are asking for donations of gifts for struggling families this Christmas, which due to turmoil in the wider world this year may number more than usual. Food banks will also be collecting for Christmas dinners that will be provided to the local community. Our Christmas raffle will be drawn (donations for this are still very-much welcome) on Sat 17 Dec before a candlelit carol service in the garden. All funds raised from the raffle to go towards the night shelter run by The Renewed Hope Trust.
‘Secret Santa’ – Sun 18 Dec – the second stage of our pre-Chrimbo weekend. You know the form – it’s all about the giving and the receiving!
New Year’s Eve party – from 7pm, Sat 31 Dec – ‘Winter Wonderland’ will be the theme, make of that what you will and fetch up in appropriate attire if you can. Booking a table now to ensure enough space, especially if you are a larger group, is advisable. Although we have a big heart, we are only a little pub!