Archive for December, 2011

December 12, 2011 - 1:15 pm No Comments

Freixenet Rosado Under The Mistletoe

Freixenet Rosado Under The Mistletoe


Ho, Ho, Ho, Festive Cheer coming your way… Here’s a lovely, bubbly Christmas cocktail to tickle your tastebuds – courtesy of our friends at Shaken and Stirred, Oxford.

Freixenet Rosado Under The Mistletoe
Simple, chic and elegant. Freixenet Rosado Under The Mistletoe mixes Freixenet’s fruity pink Cava, Freixenet Cordon Rosado, with grape juice to create a refreshing, sophisticated, bubbly cocktail ideal to be enjoyed under the mistletoe.
Ingredients
25 ml red grape juice
Freixenet Cordon Rosado

Method
Pour 25ml red grape juice into glass and top with Freixenet Cordon Rosado

Glass – Flute
Garnish – No garnish needed!

Glitterballs, Glamour and SCD

December 9, 2011 - 11:52 am 1,078 Comments
Chelsee and Pasha at Strictly Come Dancing Quarter Finals

Chelsee and Pasha at Strictly Come Dancing Quarter Finals

Gecko was delighted when we won two tickets to the Strictly Come Dancing Quarter Finals! What a day!!! Two avid fans arrived at about 12.30pm to join an already long queue… we stood in the cold for an hour to gain our places – we were no. 190 and 191. Once we had our number we were allowed to go, warm up and look round the fabulous Westfield – and get something to eat. Then back again by 3pm to queue again to get in… handing our mobile phones in (strictly strict security) then into TV studio, passing Gene Hunt’s Audio and into BBC TV Centre. Time for a warming cup of coffee… then to our seats for the filming. We were sat at the back – but our view was good and we thoroughly enjoyed the show, from the celebrity dances, the judges remarks to the fabulous Alfie Boe.

During the show (not while the filming was taking place) we said Hi to Brendan Cole… so afterwards Brendan gave us the ‘sacred wristbands’ so that we could go up to the BBC Bar to mingle with the dancers, celebrities and guests.

Gecko catching up with Brendan Cole after SCD

Gecko catching up with Brendan Cole after SCD


We loved catching up with Brendan – and meeting Anton, Chelsee, Holly, Claudia, Craig, Bruno, etc, etc. It was a great evening… special thanks from Gecko to Brendan for letting us join in the fun!
Gecko meets the lovely Craig Revel Horwood

Gecko meets the lovely Craig Revel Horwood

West Berks Mencap Receive Queen’s Award For Voluntary Service

December 6, 2011 - 12:36 pm 1,515 Comments

West Berks Mencap receive the Queen's Award For Voluntary Service

West Berks Mencap receive the Queen's Award For Voluntary Service


It’s all been happening here at Gecko! So we have some catching up to do… firstly one of our favourite charities, West Berks Mencap, received their much deserved Queen’s Award For Voluntary Service from HRH the Duchess of Gloucester.

Leila Ferguson, CEO commented “We were absolutely thrilled to receive the award,” commented Leila Ferguson, CEO West Berks Mencap. “West Berks Mencap provides a wide range of services for people of all ages who have learning disabilities, but, it wouldn’t be possible for the charity to continue without the enormous contribution that our volunteers make. I am often in awe of our volunteers, we have some as young as 14 coming to the centre to help with the children at Bubble Club, and of course there are older ones like our President, Arthur Heffernan and his wife Jean, who keep helping for many years. There are so many volunteers I can’t name them all, but every single one of them deserves an award for the fabulous work they do to ensure that we can provide some of the best services in the whole of the country and each one helps to make West Berks Mencap one big, happy family! So, all the staff, clients, parents and families say a huge thank you our volunteers – we are extremely grateful to every single one of our them and are happy to welcome anyone who wants to come and join us.”

We send our heartfelt congratulations to all the volunteers, and the fabulous staff who work so hard at West Berks Mencap