Sheila Jones, a regular face at Gloucestershire Cricket Club, was the winner of the City Inn competition which was run in an edition of No Boundaries.

"In over 70 years I have won very few competitions, although I have had limited luck with those associated with Glocuestershire. I have won a book at Cricket Lovers and, although I am always trying for a Jack Russell print, the best I have done in a raffle is an England sunhat and soft seat. In the March edition of No Boundaries I read the article on CITY CAFE restaurant and turning over the page discovered a competition for a dinner party in one's own home and decided to enter. Imagine my delight on receiving a letter from City Inn Bristol's CITY CAFE in early may to say I had won!

Who should be my lucky guests was the first problem. I did not want there to be friends who later said 'you never asked me!', so I decided that as I had won the party from a cricket magazine I would make it a cricket evening with the three friends who regularly sit with me in the back row of the Jessop Tavern plus Tony & Judy Brown, old friends from his playing days.

After discussions with City Inn Bristol's CITY CAFE I fixed the evening for Sunday 22nd July.

If anyone has the opportunity to enter a similar competition do have a go! It was a wonderful occasion for a hostess, apart from making sure my kitchen was tidy I had nothing to do! Table linen, crockery, cutlery and glass were all provided and my kitchen was as immaculate when the evening was over as when it started. The guests arrived at 6.30pm and we were served our aperitifs before sitting down to the meal at 7pm.

The menu had been discussed beforehand taking into account our likes and dislikes. The starter was crab and avocado salad with a Sauvignon Blanc followed by stuffed chicken breast with a Merlot and ending with a Summer berry Pavlova. Each course was most attractively presented mouth-watering to eat and discreetly served which added to our enjoyment of the meal.

Over coffee and until late conversation flowed - a great deal of chat concerned cricket pas t and present and of Gloucestershire in particular. It was a most enjoyable occasion and CITY INN BRISTOL deserve thanks for their support of Gloucestershire and their sponsorship of the matchballs throughout the season. I shall certainly be visiting City Inn's CITY CAFÉ in Temple Way whenever I can."

Sheila Jones

© Gloucestershire CCC