TWO hundred guests gathered in the Tithe Barn at Ditcham, near Petersfield, to support the Southern Spinal Injuries Trust charity evening.

It was also a chance to listen to former BBC correspondent Kate Adie “in conversation with” the Chief of the General Staff of the Army, General Sir Nicholas Carter.

Topics of the conversation ranged between questions of trust between the armed services and the media and the interpretations of that trust which inevitably fall out of working together.

Several guests asked some lively questions and both Sir Nicholas and Kate answered in robust and fitting style.

“It was a fascinating evening, I now have a much better understanding of the delicate relationship between the media & the military” said Jeremy Major, chairman of the Southern Spinal Injuries Trust. “We were honoured that both Kate and General Nick agreed to give up their valuable time to support the charity.

“We are also very grateful to everyone who attended the evening and to those who couldn’t but generously donated to help raise just over £8,000 which will go towards the Southern Spinal Injuries Trusts goal, to assist individuals with a spinal cord injury in the South and South West by providing specialist equipment, therefore enabling individuals a greater independence and quality of everyday life.

“Special thanks go to Jeremy and Margaret Oates who kindly donated their beautiful barn and to following for their support Daron Motors, Jackson Stops, The Real Flower Company Fordhams Marquees and Greg Carter and to all the volunteers for their hard work behind the scenes, making the evening such a successful evening.”

For more details about the Southern Spinal Injuries Trust, visit ssit.org.uk.