A Fantastic First Annual Quiz Night!

Friday 14th November marked a very special milestone for 21 Together as we hosted our first ever annual Quiz Night at the Orida Hotel in Maidstone — and what a night it was! The event was a complete sell-out, filling the room with members of the Down’s syndrome community, families, friends old and new, members of the 21 Together team and many of our valued business connections. Several networking groups joined in the fun too, with Innercircle, Synergy, and Kent Kinnections getting particularly competitive! 

A huge thank you to Mike Humphrey-Smith from Bay Branded Merch for creating our brilliant winners’ medals and trophy, and to our fantastic regular quizmaster, who once again did an amazing job running the evening, Phill Thorne of Whizzdom Quizzes.  We are also incredibly grateful to Amanda Stoneman and A4G chartered accountants for sponsoring the event and to the Orida Hotel for not only providing the venue and a prize for our 100-square game, but for being so accommodating and supporting us throughout the year. 

Congratulations to David Dadswell, winner of the ever-popular Heads or Tails game — a moment that brought plenty of laughs! And a special shout-out to Stephen Degiorgio of Degiorgio Properties, who won the booze auction with a generous bid of £350! 

The night was full of fun, laughter, and a few cheeky twists — including “Jokers” sporting our very own Partnerships Manager, Julie Stichbury’s, face (just in case anyone missed her!). Cheats were being snapped up left, right, and centre, all adding to the fantastic atmosphere. 

Thanks to everyone’s enthusiasm and generosity, we raised an impressive £3,000 in one evening. We couldn’t be more grateful to everyone involved — attendees, sponsors, donors, and volunteers alike. 

The evening ended with a heartfelt speech from one of our Trustees Sinead Ainsworth – Thanking everyone for their support and the impact the charity has on her family and others alike. 

We’re already looking forward to our 2026 Quiz Night and hope to welcome everyone back for another brilliant evening of friendly competition and community spirit.