Wednesday 5 June saw the inaugural Annual Summer Dinner of the SUT’s London and South of England Branch. On board the Thames cruiser Elizabethan, more than 60 SUT Members, their colleagues and friends enjoyed a beautiful summer’s evening eating, drinking and chatting as the impressive backdrop of London glided by.

Guests were welcomed to this black tie dinner by Brian Jones, Chairman of the Branch Committee. As has become usual at SUT dinners, we ran the Heads and Tails Interlude. In support of SUT’s Educational Support Fund, guest are invited to put £10 into and envelope to play the game that involves predicting the toss of a coin. With very simple rules, which is perhaps just as well, the game raised £750 for the ESF and the ultimate winner – who wished to remain anonymous – walked away with a cash prize of £200.

The Speaker for the evening was Commander John Herriman, who is the fairly recently appointed Commanding Officer of the Royal Naval Reserve’s HMS President (shore establishment). John kept everyone’s attention with what was a most entertaining and witty talk whilst at the same time getting across a serious message.

At the stroke of 11pm the boat returned to the London Eye Pier after almost four hours of enjoyment had been had by all.