We wanted to help raise funds for Peach, but wanted to do something different. We did not want to collar people for sponsorship money nor simply ask for donations as we were aware of the danger of donor fatigue. Above all, we wanted to find something which would be fun for the participants as well as a good source of funds. After a lot of pen chewing and internet surfing we came across a site called www.thirtyfifty.co.uk. Our wine tasting party was under way.

Thirty Fifty (so called because grapes are grown between 30 and 50 degrees latitude, North and South of the equator) is owned and run by Chris Scott, an effervescent Kiwi based in Twickenham. Chris and his team provide wine tastings nationwide in your home or chosen venue. They supply the wine, glasses, tasting sheets and the knowledge, all you have to provide is the guests and some food to soak up the alcohol. The tastings are very much interactive and can even become quite competitive.

We negotiated a per head cost with Chris, and doubled that cost to make the price of the ticket. We sent out invitations to friends and colleagues, accompanied by gift aid forms. We found that people who could not attend, would donate the cost of their ticket which meant double the money for Peach!

We provided a barbecue lunch in our garden but managed to keep the costs down by ordering the meat from our local butcher who was prepared to do us a deal. If you do not want the hassle of cooking for hoards of people, then Chris suggests a good selection of cheeses and some biscuits will be suitable to complement the wine. We had about 50 people taking part, but Chris is happy to host for as few as 10 people.

In addition to the ticket price, you can also raise extra funds through wine orders taken by Thirty Fifty on the day as Chris donates 10% of the value of wine sold. We managed to raise an extra £140 through this effortless exploitation of our friends' drinking habits.

We spent the day surrounded by friends enjoying good wine and company, and were delighted when the party raised £1,200 ( including gift aid ) for Peach. As our guests left, we promised them that we would obey instructions and ensure that it becomes an annual event in the calendar.

So if you fancy learning more about wine with your family and friends whilst raising much needed funds for Peach, please contact Chris Scott on 020 8288 0314.