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The annual Gebr Heinemann golf tournament that kicks off every TFWA World Exhibition had a new co-sponsor this year – Hugo Boss. The event celebrated its 20th anniversary in fine style – fine weather, (some) fine golf and the usual fine performance by that consummate Master of Ceremonies, Gebr Heinemann Chairman of the Advisory Board, Harry ‘the real’ Diehl.
Some 136 players teed up for this year’s tournament representing 27 countries. The entry fee revenue of €15,000 was all donated to TFWA Care, the TFWA charity fund, with proceeds being used to support the Travel Retail Village in Sri Lanka. The Village was built by the Alpha Sri Lanka Tsunami Relief Fund, driven by industry executives Paul Topping and Rakhita Jayawardena. It re-housed a community of 100 people displaced by the November 2004 tsunami.
TFWA will specifically use the money pledged to honour its Conference Director Linda Hopkins who so sadly died of cancer in January. TFWA, Topping and Jayawardena decided that a village of families brought even closer by tragedy needed a heart – what better form than a Community Centre? That is now being built, thanks to funding from the industry, from the Middle East Duty Free Association (with whom Linda also worked closely) and from TFWA Care.
Poignantly, it has been named the Linda Hopkins Community Centre and yesterday’s donation ensured it will be a reality. It will be a lasting testament to a life taken prematurely and one that Linda would appreciate very much.
[Pictured: Claus Heinemann, Nadine Heubel the 25-handicapper Head of Travel Retail at Hugo Boss, TFWA President Erik Juul-Mortensen, Harry ‘the real’ Diehl and Gunnar Heinemann.]