Jason Payne-James reports:
Monday 3rd July 2023 was an auspicious day for the Royal Burnham Yacht Club as Jeremy Hogben and Colin Dale celebrated the registering of their civil partnership in a civil service conducted by Sheridan, the registrar from Chelmsford Registry Office.
This lovely ceremony was undertaken in the presence of Jeremy and Colin’s closest friends and family, who were there to support them.
This took place in the RBYC Library which added more style and elegance to the occasion. Probably without precedent for such a function, a veritable fleet of six past RBYC Commodores (or ‘crisis of Commodores’ as Jeremy refers to them) & Presidents (Neil Kennedy, Tim Herring, Douglas Potter, Derek Corless, Cathy Herring and Judy Payne-James) were there at the ceremony emphasising the love and support of the Club for the couple.
After the ceremony the couple and the guests enjoyed an excellent RBYC tea and many were able to catch up with friends who had they had not seen since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. Gratifyingly we all looked unchanged and amazingly youthful. Unsurprisingly there was much laughter and gossip and Jeremy and Colin were on fine form and both expressed their thanks to their families, friends and the RBYC for their support in making the arrangements.
Neil Kennedy thanked Jeremy and Colin with love, wit and, amazingly, brevity (boy, were we surprised!) and congratulated them on their new status on behalf of the guests. Glasses were raised to toast Jeremy and Colin as the guests wished them much happiness for the future.
For those who were unaware the RBYC is a venue approved by the local council, for marriages and civil services and for the latter there must be two witnesses at the ceremony and a registrar must carry out, or be present at, the ceremony. The RBYC showed again on this beautiful day that it is the ideal setting for such an event.