Quiz Night: Burgers, Brainpower and a Barking Hare

The weather did not play along on Friday 11 September. It had been raining before the evening started, and it stayed wet and a little windy. It made no difference. Le Jardin de Beau Vallon filled up anyway, with a fire pit glowing by the entrance and fairy lights strung under the roof.

Every table was named after one of the Blue Bay strays we feed, from Oreo and Princess to Rex and Giraffe, so each team was playing for a dog. Our quizmasters Toviraaj and Sean, both members of SSWC, kept the rounds moving and the tables laughing. Between rounds Pete and the band played live, and everyone tucked into homemade burgers and dessert.

The creative round was the highlight. Each team had 90 seconds to invent a movie starring an animal and draw its poster. We got 007 Python: Slither to die another day, A Dodo in New York, and our favourite, The Barking Hare: Hairy business feeding strays.

The prize table, all donated by local businesses, sent plenty of people home happy. The night raised around Rs 34,000 for sterilisations and vet care for the strays of the south, and six people applied to become members.

One guest summed it up: "Everything was perfectly organised, and the venue was just perfect. And the two gentlemen were truly the cherry on the cake!"

Thank you to everyone who came, played, donated a prize or helped behind the scenes. If you missed it, there will be a next time, so bring your smartest friends.