Wall Members Lunch
(non-o cial function)
Friday 6th December
DaMario restaurant
Endell St, Covent Garden.
Christmas Ball (o cial function)
Saturday 7th December
Hilton London Metropole Hotel
Edgeware Road, London.
2025
Toy Fair Party (o cial function)
Wednesday 22nd January e Ricco Lounge
Kensington
Spring Dinner (o cial function)
ursday 1st May
Venue tbc
Golf Day (o cial function)
ursday 12th June
Oakdale Golf Club Harrogate.
Autumn Dinner (o cial function)
ursday 4th September
Venue tbc
AGM & AGM Dinner (o cial function)
ursday 6th November
Venue tbc
CHAIRMAN’S ADDRESS
It has been a great honour to hold the position of Chairman of the Fence club since the AGM of 2023, the club is certainly evolving to re ect the times we all live in & I am proud to part of this evolution of our cherished Club & charity.
on us as well!
is customary at the event, a great start to the Chairmanship. Plus and important to say, in terms of fundraising and some great bidding from members and guests we raised a record total for the charity that night, so memorable!
We have had a fantastic year socially & I believe the funds we have raised for our designated charities is right up there with the best years we have ever had in terms of fundraising. Our thanks go out to all members, friends, guests & contributors, all which goes to great causes helping Children & their families nationwide who are in need of support in the di cult world we nd ourselves in currently.
e year kicked o with a well attended AGM, where I picked up the coveted Chairmans Chain from our outgoing Chairman Simon Anslow, a great honour indeed following in the footsteps of some legendary & iconic gures from our Industry.
charity. were success. singing
Toyfair party, again another break from tradition with a new approach and thanks to the hard work of Frankie and Ian, it was a huge success, listening to members relating to event costs and a need to move with the times, we took over a West End night club and danced the night away. Maybe a few sore heads at Toyfair the following day!
Next To Henley and the Spring event, despite the great British weather trying to spoil the Party, we set sail and again another great evening. I am sure everyone will agree fun was had by all, great to see many new members and guests.
We then moved onto the prestigious Christmas Ball, breaking from tradition & moving to a new location at the Hilton Metropole. Evolution and change were needed and we were delighted that the event was a rip roaring success. Huge turnout from the membership and guests made it an event not to be missed. We were serenaded by our Ratpack singing vocalist who entertained, then the whole room was up and dancing within minutes to the live band, the nights highlight for me was the military marching band as
June took the club en masse “Up North” to Harrogate for the annual Golf Day, an event established over 50 years ago, as a previous winner of the Golf day, I wasn’t so lucky, but it’s the taking part I guess, yeah right!!! e event was very well attended with players and guests swelling the numbers for what is always a very fun evening dinner. Fines dished out to virtually everyone in the room by yours truly, auctioneer Steve Wells doing a fantastic job as always, working the room to make the auction another huge success and key fundraiser, oh and from memory the Yorkshire weather gods looked down
One of the highlights of the year for me, was our Chairman’s charity walk to Ypres Belgium in August. Twelve charity walkers, including members, wall members and friends of the club, marched around historical sites with personal relevance to pay respects and raise funds for our charities. 3 days of great camaraderie, fun, laughter and memorable moments this really summed up for me what the Fence Club is all about. Long may this event continue and I would encourage more members to participate in future similar events. I would also like to thank all our Committee members for all their hard, unpaid work that goes on behind the scenes in their own time and at their own expense. Great work from the general committee and newly formed sub committees to ensure the club runs well, within compliance and for the bene t of members and our charities, well done! Finally, a very warm welcome to our incoming Chairman Derek Scott, a good friend of mine who follows me yet again, a great tradition Derek. We know the Chairmanship will be in very good hands and I sincerely hope you enjoy your time in the seat. Derek is a great supporter & passionate member of the club who has done a terri c job this year behind the scenes in his role as Vice Chairman.
anks for a great year!
Firstly I would like to thank you, the members for the honour of being this year’s chairman, I hope to do, you, the position and the club proud. When you look at all the amazing toy people who have been in the chair, it really is quite daunting. More impressive is the list of amazing members who haven’t been through the chair, but have served our industry and club proud, it really is an honour that is
hard to feel deserving o .
To our outgoing chairman Mr Jon Gregory, you have done an amazing job. It is almost 20 years to the day that I took over from you to head up the sales at Ravensburger, really feels tting that you hand this honour to me. ank you, you have done us all proud.
I would also like to say a big thanks to the committee, not only for their friendship and support but for the sel ess time and passion they put into our club. It really is a pleasure being part of the team.
Next year at toy fair is a major
milestone for the Club, 75 years since our inception, so really need to put our thinking caps on to ensure we engage the wider toy community so we are just as relevant in another 75 years.
In our 75th year all I ask is you support events just a little more than you did this year, ‘it’s for the children’ and our industry. As we are in a unique position and are very fortunate to have our club. We want our friendships to continue to ‘strive mightily and eat and drink as friends’. ank you once again for the honour of being chairman.
Amanda Gummer New Member
Amy Saunders
Andrea Gornall
Becky Matthews
Dave Martin
David Martin
David Bramford PC Asst Charity Secretary
Dawn Lavalette
Derek Scott Assistant Secretary and Vice Chairman
Francesca Lisle Asst. Social Secretary
Graham Gardiner
Guy Rooney New Member
Ian Faulkner
Jacqueline Taylor-Foo Committee Member
James Triptree PC
John Baulch
John Hutt
Jon Gregory Chairman
Jonathan Nurse
Linda Osborne
Lisa Morgan
Alan Baxter
Alan Munn
Andrew Laughton
Bill Cornelius PC
Bill Dowle
Brian Gray PC
Ciaran Fitzpatrick
Clive Crouch
Clive Jones PC Honorary Member
David Bottomley
David Bowman
David Howard
David Lipman
David Welsh
Denis Horton PC
Gary Grant
Geof Smith PC Honorary Member
Graham Canning
Ian Dayus PC Social Secretary
Ian Edmunds PC
Jim Andrews PC Honorary Member
Joe Kissane PC Charity Secretary and Honorary Member
John Athwal OBE PC
Marc Sivner
Mark Naish Committee Member
Mary Wood
Michele Bates Treasurer
Mitch Levene
Nic Adridge
Nick Saunders
Nicola Bergot
Paul Fogerty
Paul Reader
Peter Cassidy
Richard Keel PC
Roger Robinson
Sara Taylor
Sarah Dayus
Simon Anslow Immediate Past Chairman
Simon Cox
Simon Pilkington
Stephanie Peyret New Member
Steve Wells PC Secretary
Sue Barratt
Will Collinson
John Howson
Jon Salisbury
Keith Elmer PC
Ken Wallman
Kevin Jones PC
Malcolm Cook
Malcolm Naish PC Honorary Member
Mark Collinson
Michael Angel PC Honorary Member
Mike Redfern
Nigel Seary
Peter Brennan PC Honorary Member
Peter Brown PC
Peter Otley PC
Philip Morris
Philip Richardson PC
Richard Body
Richard Levy Honorary Member
Robert Anslow PC Honorary Member
Roger Dyson PC Honorary Member
Ronnie Yafe
Sir Torquil Norman PC
Steve Wilks
Terry Padgett
= Past Chairman
I Started my career in Hong Kong and China where I lived for 11 years developing toys and brands for a number of toy companies before moving on to international sales. Partner in Firefly, International Toy and Game sales and marketing group. The UK is now considered home with my husband Greg and my three year old son Louis. I love also spending time in France, my home country, sports, enjoying the outdoors, and beautiful hills overlooking the Pyrénées.
Rooney
I started my career in retail Management working for the likes of Homebase and Argos before becoming a Business Development Manager for a small Nursery goods company for five years. Keen to start selling Toys, I was lucky enough to land a role at IMC Toys as National Accountant Manager where I stayed for eight years, eventually becoming Sales director. Wanting a change, I moved to Character Options where I had five great years before a brief but fulfilling stint at Zapf Creation. In January 2023 I became the Managing Director of Pat Avenue. I live up north in Stockport with my amazing wife and two energetic kids aged 11 and 16.
Colin Lisle, good friend of The Fence Club and father of esteemed committee member Frankie Lisle is setting out on an epic 380Km Cycle ride on November 22nd to raise money for the club.
Taking place in Cuba, cycling from Havana to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Trinidad, over just five consecutive days.
Many of you likely saw Colin in the lobby of the Majestic hotel on his Pelaton at this years Toymaster show in May, where he raised £500 cycling three 60-minute stints.
Looking slim and trim the intrepid Colin said “I wanted to do something that would challenge me and take me out of my comfort zone while I’m still fit enough, I have been doing lots of training and have never been fitter.”
Dr Amanda Gummer
Amanda is a research psychologist specialising in child development, play and parenting. She runs FUNdamentally Children and Dr Gummer’s Good Play Guide. She’s toy industry through and through with both her dad and brother in the industry.
For those wondering if he is doing this by himself, Colin said “the ride is organised by Charity Challenge and I’ll be joined by 18 other riders, there will be a guide at the front and at the rear, with a team following in a van with refreshments. Also I am relieved to say it is not a race, the goal is to complete the challenge”. Colin continued “I am aiming to raise £25,000 and I’m already well on the way to meeting this goal, having already raised over £20,000. I am grateful to all the companies and individuals in the trade that have supported me in this challenge, all monies raised will go to the Fence Club”.
A big challenge indeed, please help Colin reach his goal by heading to his JustGiving page and donating to this worthy cause.
Another positive change for the club, moving the AGM from a hotel setting to The Army and Navy Club, the Rag club as it is known. 44 members and Wall members made the journey to Pall Mall to witness Simon pass the baton over to incoming Chairman Jon Gregory. They also witnessed the investiture of two new honorary members, Clive and Joe, and John Athwal making his last report as Treasurer. The dinner held in the library was a lovely setting to welcome our new Chairman and for AGM dinner frivolities and a little fundraising to commence. A very fitting venue for our AGM. ... At ease!
The Chairman’s Curry Night kicks off the celebratory season being the day before the prestigious Christmas Ball. Attended by the usual stalwarts, Chairman Jon Gregory presided over another, successful, raucous event!
Talking Italian in Covent Garden.
For the first time in the history of the Wall Members Lunch, the location moved out of the surrounds of a hotel dining room to a trendy little Italian restaurant, a favourite of Malcolm’s, DaMario’s, in Covent Garden. The restaurant attracted some members we had not seen for a while, the food was excellent, and of course the wine flowed. The move to exclusively take over the restaurant had paid off. Everyone had a wonderful time and were not shy in voicing their appreciation for the change of venue.
Bellissimo
With a great, new venue in the Hilton London Metropole 2024’s Christmas Ball was one of the club’s most successful ever. Over £82,000 was raised via raffle, auction and generous donations.
The prestigous event saw Frank Sinatra, marching band and live band Sway entertain members and guests until 1:00am. With a packed dance floor right to the end it was an event to remember!
Club chairman, Jon Gregory, said: “The Fence Club Christmas Ball has always been a high point of the toy industry calendar and it was my honour to be Chairman this year, presiding over an evening which generated such a significant amount for children’s charities. I would like to thank all members of the Fence Club and their guests that made it a night to remember!”
oh what a night! with some spectacular and memorable dance moves.
After a few busy days at toyfair, members and guests who secured the hottest and fastest selling tickets of the year, really did party the night away.
After an entertaining welcome from our chairman, lots of raffle tickets were purchased and pledges made and all ‘for the children’.
Then on to the dancing and catching up with friends. It was all about having a party and we know how to party. It was well after midnight when the majority headed off to bed a little jaded but with a smile and discussing what was more memorable one of the committee members dancing or the fire eater. Let those who attended decide.
A few of the kind words from those charity’s that benefited by the actions of the Fence Club. Money raised making a real difference!
What a fabulous parcels filled to toys and games from The Fence Club. We were genuinely shocked and overwhelmed by them all.
We have split the toys into our MultiFunction Room and Pool Room for our children and their siblings to enjoy. We have also kept some back as Santa gifts for our Christmas Party. THANK YOU for such a wonderful contribution that will go such a long way to making all our children very happy.
THANK YOU for your welcomemost donation of £10,010 in response to our appeal to you to purchase specialist equipment for the children on our waiting list. Your continued support of our charity is greatly appreciated.
THANK YOU so much for your fantastic support. The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust is again providing Christmas experiences for a huge number of children who might otherwise miss out, so THANK YOU for all your help making this possible.
Your generosity means happy memories will be made for even more children at CAFT this Christmas. With 3,000 children and their families visiting us, the support of kind people like you, impacts hugely on not only the children, but the whole family.
Kids Konnect send their sincere thanks for the 5 boxes of toys received from The Fence Club Charity. The toys will significantly help families who continue to struggle during the cost- of-living crisis, bringing joy and happiness to so many children. Our little team of volunteers have been busy wrapping the toys ready to deliver them out to the children and their parents.
We are absolutely delighted to receive a donation of £3,623 and look forward to putting these funds to good use over the coming year. Your generosity will ensure the continuation of our Sibling Activities’ programme to the families we support, and the implementation of the Sibling Creativity Group. Activities provide siblings with the opportunity to relax, have fun, and re-charge their batteries while taking dedicated time away from their stressful home lives.
THANK YOU for your continued support.
On behalf of everyone at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals Charity THANK YOU for your incredibly kind donation of toys to the Children’s Ward at Pinderfields Hospital. The toys will bring joy and entertainment to children in our care and will help brighten their time spent in hospital. By supporting us, you have become part of our story, your support means a great
THANK YOU this is fantastic news; we are over the moon to hear that we have been granted £5,000 in support of our Hydrotherapy Pool Project!
The Fence Club will support the following:-
• Helping ‘disadvantaged’ children up to the age of 16 and their families
• Projects where the Fence Club can make a big difference, with a small amount of investment, including building projects to enhance the environment for the children
• Applications from organisations based in the UK & Ireland
• Requests that come via or on behalf of a registered charity or community organisation
• Recomendations from Fence Club Members subject to an audit from a GPC member
• Donations to an individual not registered as a charity which are specific to a life enhancing need e.g. Converted tricycle for a severely handicapped child will be subject to an audit by a member of the GPC before the application is presented to the GPC
The Fence Club will not support the following;-
• Donations to organisations concerned with animals
• Donations to fund-raising charities
• Overseas applications
• Any form of advertising in souvenir brochures for a charity dinner or any goodwill advertising messages in any other sort of publication
• Scout/Guide/Playgroup fund-raising activities as they are not specific to children with either disability or disadvantaged needs
• Funds for adult charities
• Salaries for charity employees or care assistants
All donations must be supported by the majority of the GPC. All applications will be considered at the Quarterly GPC Meetings.
‘To raise money predominantly from, but not limited to, Fence Club Members, their associated companies and others and to distribute the money raised to disadvantaged & disabled children’s charities.’
A limited number of events and other fund-raising activities will be held annually to include, but are not limited to, the following:-
• Fence Club Golf Day
• Christmas Ball
• Various Raffles & Auctions
The role of the General Purposes Committee is to allocate money to the most deserving charities and to coordinate the fund-raising events with assistance from the Fence Club Membership
On May 2nd on board the largest and most luxurious passenger boat on the upper Thames, styled after Rumours were at least half the guests then went on to the local Karaoke bar, singing and dancing until the early hours, thankfully no photos to share from photos that part of the evening! All hands-on deck!
The beautiful morning of Thursday June 13 saw 60 of our industry’s finest golfers taking to the fairways at Oakdale golf club in Harrogate for this year’s Fence Club event. With trophies to win, all was set for a great day.
Started in 1952 by Teddy Simmons, proprietor of toy trade magazine ‘Games & Toys’, it has remained a popular trade golf day raising thousands of pounds for the Fence Club’s various charities. And winner of the Fence Club’s Teddy Simmons cup this year was none other than local-born Club member, Mark Collinson.
Winner of the Men’s Cup was Simon Cotton, MD of the HRH Group, which owns Harrogate’s Yorkshire and White Hart hotels. Playing off 19, his score of 39 points was enough to secure the top prize.
The Fence Club welcomes more and more lady golfers to its golf day and this year’s winner was James Galt’s very own Jacqueline Taylor-Foo coming in with a score of 34 points. The evening dinner was once again a joyous meeting of toy trade friends. Steve Wells ran the auction, which, along with the raffle, raised an amazing £28,000 for the Club’s charities.
Club chairman Jon Gregory handed out some very amusing fines, and Character Options’ Joe Kissane was one of the victims (Joe got a ‘hole in one’ and apparently this was actually his second).
At ease
The Cinnamon Club, set in the historic Grade II listed former Westminster Library, provided the finest of dining, a really modern, innovative Indian feast, devoured by all. Member only events always have an extra special feel and this evening did not disappoint.
Fantastic humour, jokes and great banter as always.
Concluded with a rendition of ‘Fly me to the moon’, by our own legendary Simon Cox, really ensured that everyone went home happy. It was rumoured a mixture of members were still playing hard on a school night beyond 2am!
In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses row on row, That mark our place, and in the sky, the larks, still bravely singing, fly, Scarce heard amid the guns below.
(John Macrae)
Chairman Jon this year asked a hardy team of 12 walkers to head off across the channel to Belgium for his Chairmans Challenge of two days walking around the battlefields, cemeteries, monuments and trenches surrounding the quaint town of Ypres. Each day the planned route allowed plenty of time to pay respects to the fallen. Jon Gregory and Jon Nurse were able to visit the sites where their great, great, grandfather,
and grandfather respectively fought during the great war. The last post ceremony at the Menin Gate was a poignant touch in the evening, as was a visit to Essex Farm where John Macrae wrote his famous poem. The food and beer weren’t bad either.
STRIVE MIGHTILY, BUT EAT AND DRINK AS FRIENDS Annual Review