BCCK to host Christmas lunch fundraiser
British Ambassador to Korea Charles Hay welcomes guests at last year’s Christmas lunch hosted by the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. / Courtesy of John Redmond
By John Redmond
The British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK) will hold its annual Christmas lunch fundraiser at the Four Seasons Hotel in Gwanghwamun, downtown Seoul, Friday.
The festive event expects 450 guests from the Korean, British and international communities, and will include a charity auction and raffle.
The BCCK supports several good causes, including one Chevening Scholarship every year. Chevening Scholarships provide one international student with the opportunity to study in the U.K. for a year regardless of academic specialization.
The prizes at last year’s event raised more than 50 million won for local charities.
“We raised over 50 million won at last year’s Christmas lunch,” said Sean Blakeley, who recently completed his first year as the chamber’s CEO. “This event is focused on helping our good causes and providing attendees with a truly British farewell to the year past and a celebration for the New Year.”
This year’s event will feature Father Christmas and a traditional Christmas lunch menu with music from the Seoul Foreign British School Choir, Camarata Music Company, Pentasonic, and the Salvation Army Band. DJ Fenner will also spin music at the event’s post-lunch gathering.
BCCK CEO Blakeley and British Ambassador Charles Hay will provide some words of welcome and a toast.
Over 20 sponsors will offer raffle prizes and auction items, and there are more sponsors to come. Sponsors include Burberry Korea, Lego, Jo Malone London, SuperJam and well-known British shoemaker Tricker’s.
Tricker’s has a special relationship with the BCCK. While the chamber is well-known for its popular networking events, it also provides bespoke market entry services to U.K. companies looking to enter the Korean market.
“We had fantastic support from the BCCK team and they helped us cover a lot of ground in a short period of time,” said David Jeffery, Tricker’s head of global sales, on the BCCK website’s testimonial page.
“As a chamber, we have seen tremendous growth over the past year, both in our event attendance
our Garden Party attendance doubled this year compared to last year
but also on our business services side,” said Blakeley.
“Tricker’s is only one of many happy U.K. companies that have worked with us. We look forward to both expanding our market entry services and maintaining our status as the host of the most popular events for the international community in Korea in 2017.”
The event, which is sponsored by HSBC, Robert Walters Korea, British American Tobacco Korea, Barings Bank, Shell Korea and Kim & Chang, is expected to draw 450 guests and will raise funds for the BCCK’s causes.
Founded in 1977, the BCCK serves over 240 member companies that represent the business interests of its members in Korea.
Tickets for the Christmas lunch cost 145,000 won for members and 165,000 for nonmembers.
Email administrator@bcck.or.kr to check seating availability.