The POETS ended their 2025 Charity luncheon events at the popular Da Franco Ristorante Italiano on Thursday 4th December. POETS chairman Chris Gardner welcomed members and special guests to this popular annual “Special Christmas Lunch Event”. This great venue in Barnet, North London, entertained over 35 guests with freshly served fine food, which included a traditional Christmas lunch with all the trimmings and some first-class Italian wines.

Chris Gardner was presented with a Special Chairman’s chair from the POETS members as he was “in the Chair”, presenting the afternoon’s activities, which included some amazing auction gifts and raffle prizes. Some of the auction gifts included a large case of Spanish red wine, a family holiday for 1 week in a 2-bedroom lodge in Cornwall in June, and a DeLonghi “bean to cup” coffee machine.

The auction and the large selection of fantastic raffle prizes raised an amazing £2,600 for the POETS chosen charities. Chris Gardner also paid tribute to the hard work the POETS members put into making the lunches and evening events so successful, and this year’s POETS 2025 Chairmans Award went to the treasurer, Andy Bigg. Chris also thanked Daniel Di Landro and his team for their amazing hospitality.

An AGM is planned for the New Year, where the team will get together and review the 2025 charity events and look forward to new events for 2026 and the chosen charities, the website will have all the latest news and upcoming events.

To find out more about Da Franco Ristorante Italiano
please click the link:

www.dafrancorestaurant.co.uk