Welcome To The 2007 Charity Yacht Race Held By Smiths City In Association With Naval Point Club For The Benefit Of The Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust

Thank you for joining us at our first Charity Race Day fundraising event which we hope will become an annual event.  Today the charity we are sailing for is the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust.  Today we are also launching the annual competition for the ATC Smith Memorial Trophy which will become the winners trophy for these events.    The ATC Smith Memorial Trophy holds special significance for us at Smiths City.  Tony Smith passed away suddenly in March last year.  He had been part of the Smith City company and culture for 40 years and was a member of the original Smith family that founded Smiths City Market way back in 1918.  The company had been looking for a way to honour Tony and his loyalty and commitment to Smiths City.   Bearing in mind his avid love of rugby and very strong interest in sailing, a trophy and yacht race seemed an appropriate way to do this.  Tony’s wife, Angela, is also present today to join the fun of the Race Day and to present the trophy to the overall winner.

I would like to wish you all good luck for the race; to thank you very much for your support in this event – to the Naval Point Club for providing the boats and experienced crews; to those racing and to those very generous sponsors of product – and  look forward to meeting you all after the race in the Wardroom for the prize giving; Charity Auction and the lies and yarns that eventuate from the race. 

Good luck and fair winds –

Rick Hellings

Managing Director

Smiths City Group Limited