Golfers raise over £72,000 for Chai

The Whisky Event 2023, hosted by The Whisky World, drew to a close on Sunday after an immensely successful evening, with over 600 attendees at the iconic Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane London.

In April, more than 100 golfers attended the eighth biennial Golf Fore Chai golf day at Hartsbourne Country Club.

The event, hosted by Golf Fore Chai Committee members; Jo Fogel, Carolyn Joels, Suzanne Richmond and Serena Smaje, raised over £72,000 for Chai’s ‘Children, Teenage and Family Service.’

A shotgun start kicked off the round of golf. Following the tournament, guests were welcomed by Jo Fogel, Chairman of the Golf Fore Chai Committee who presented awards to the winning teams.

The winning men’s team comprised of Barry Burns, Andrew Cohen, Malcolm Miller and Simon Berg. The winning ladies team comprised of Vicky Schaverien, Belen Gonzalez Terol, Alison Levy and Stacey Miller.

Following the event Jo Fogel said: “I am completely overwhelmed that in these very difficult times we managed to smash our target and raise more than £70,000 to go towards employing additional child counsellors. This was only made possible by the unbelievable generosity of our sponsor Oakfield and all of our loyal supporters. Thank you to Carolyn Joels, Suzanne Richmond and Serena Smaje who were a great help in organising this event and enabling us to reach our goal of £500,000 raised from our 8 golf days!”

Chai’s Chairman, Louise Hager said: “To Jo, Carolyn, Suzanne and Serena – there’s always been a synergy between the Golf Fore Chai Committee and Chai. Attention to detail runs throughout the whole organisation and you too strive for and achieve this at every event that you organise. You continue to innovate and your loyalty and commitment goes above and beyond - it is never taken for granted and is deeply appreciated by us all.”

The festival, which has rapidly become a highlight in the whisky events calendar, showcased the unparalleled diversity and quality of whiskies from around the globe. An incredible 72 brands from 8 countries, including Scotland, Japan, the United States, and Israel, were represented, allowing attendees to experience a journey across a world of whisky.

“We are extremely proud of this year’s event. The response from both attendees and exhibitors has been simply outstanding,” said Abe Lubelsky, Organiser of The Whisky Event. “Our goal was to celebrate whisky in all its glory, educate attendees, and foster a sense of community among whisky lovers. The evening was more successful than we could have ever anticipated.”

The show offered attendees the chance to taste a wide range of whiskies, including rare and unique expressions, attend expert-led masterclasses, engage in spirited discussions with brands, and enjoy a lavish kosher buffet.

In an opportunity to see whisky from different perspectives, The Whisky Event featured the biggest names in the industry and new artisan makers, side by side. From Johnnie Walker and Uncle Nearest, through Talisker and Glenfiddich, to Spiritfilled and Chapter 7 - an amazing array of brands were on offer.

Masterclasses on Diageo’s Prima & Ultima collection, hosted by Colin Dunn, and on Yamazaki’s 2022 Cask Series, hosted by Raffaele Di Monaco, were an opportunity to learn in-depth about these prestigious collections.

The response to the event has been glowing. From whisky lovers, through leading influencers, to industry professionals, the conversations on the night, and after the event, have shown the joy the whisky community takes from The Whisky Event. “The Whisky Event is one of the highlights of the year,” said attendee Ed Leigh, an expert in independent whisky brands. “The range of brands, and the whiskies they bring, is superb. It really is the ideal opportunity to explore the best brands, try unique whiskies, and discover new artisan whisky makers.”

“We are already looking forward to 2024 and making The Whisky Event 2024 even bigger and better. We want to continue to make this the must-attend event for all whisky lovers and enthusiasts,” added Lubelsky.