Ex-politician is guest speaker at property professionals' charity dinner

Michael Portillo makes his speech at the dinner

A total of more than £4,600 was raised at the Portsmouth Property Association (PPA) annual charity dinner, which was held at The Royal Maritime Club on Friday, February 24.

The event, which was sponsored by Portsmouth legal firm Verisona Law, featured TV broadcaster, journalist and former Conservative politicial Michael Portillo as the guest speaker.

The PPA currently supports 12 charities from across the Portsmouth region.

These are Portsmouth Area Talking News; Portsmouth Autism Support Network; QAH Portsmouth Neonatal Unit; Groundlings Theatre; Tonic Music for Mental Health; Hilsea Lido Trust; Portsmouth Family Welfare; Horizon Angling Club; South East Hampshire Community Outlook; Charter Academy Parent Council; Friends Without Borders and St Cuthbert’s Helping Hands.

In a surprise presentation for his 25 years of continuous service to the PPA, secretary Neil Hawkins was given a standing ovation by the guests.

The Portsmouth Property Association has a record 170 members, who vary from estate agents and accountants to solicitors, bankers and more.

In honour of his commitment to the Portsmouth Property Association and the city as a whole, Neil was presented with a painting of two iconic Royal Navy ships, HMS Victory and HMS Temeraire, which fought in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

Former chairman Rob Marchant described Neil as the ‘glue’ which has held the PPA together.

Steve Cripps from NatWest said: ‘PPA members have once again shown their generosity to charities which touch thousands of lives across the Portsmouth region.’