The genesis for the idea of the event came from a chance meeting with an extraordinary lady called Sue Sowerby, who is one of life’s contributors, a business woman, mum, wife, charity worker and dynamo for the local community of  Theydon Bois where I live.

Sue invited me to come along to see St Clare Hospice in November and meet the Chief Executive Richard Cowie, who explained the work of the Hospice and introduced me to the fabulous team of people who work there. Richard’s enthusiasm for his work, his staff, the patients and all associated with St Clare as volunteers was extraordinary.

I left the Hospice deeply moved and within the space of a few moments of having left, my life crystallized into a realisation that I have spent 46 years of my life having made little difference to anybody other than my immediate family.

I am a fairly successful businessman, I am in a privileged position that I get to choose how I spend my time most days of my life and yet I do nothing that moves, touches or makes a real difference to other human beings far less fortunate than myself.

In the space of a couple of hours at St Clare with Sue and Richard I had heard and seen a life and experience that I could share in, and that is how the idea of the fund raiser –  The Scarlet Auction, was born.

Steve Midgley