Julia Hailes, August 2019 - See below photos for more...

'SCOTS IN' BALLS AROUND THE WORLD

From Vienna to Venice, Istanbul to India and from Florence to Oman - each was more splendid than the last. In Florence we dined under Michael Angelo statues and in Venice the guests were piped down the canals in gondolas. 

I'll never forget climbing the ramparts of the fort at Jodphur past belly dancers, fire eaters, drummers and pipers - and then dancing on the rooftop over-looking the blue city below. And then to the beautiful palace in Jaipur

I got to know Dena better in the run up to the ball in Oman. I was tremendously impressed with her fortitude. Whatever happened she kept the show on the road - even when she had to move all the venues at the very last minute.

Many of you will not be aware of the travails that beset her in organising the balls, in particular the final one in Muscat. For a start she had to postpone the original date because she discovered a melanoma on her face and had to have three serious operations in the US which weren’t covered by any health insurance. More financial disaster followed as she lost £7,000 in a fraud. As if that wasn’t enough, she had a love affair go wrong. Most of us would not have continued - I certainly wouldn’t have.

You may have wondered where Dena lives. The answer is, quite literally, out of a suit-case! Post operations she had to move from her house in Portugal and ended up selling almost all of her possessions except a computer, a set of bag-pipes and two suitcases. Settling briefly in France, whilst spending time in Oman, she’s spent the Summer of 2019 in Austria, writing a book and working out her next steps.

Others have been involved in the balls along the way - Mark Tennant, in particular, has been a massive support. But, as I’m sure he would agree, it is Dena who has been the driving force.

THE PAINTING

My idea is to give Dena a painting encapsulating many of the scenes from the balls, in each venue. Rebecca Stanley is a self taught figurative painter, based in Dorset. It was a painting she’d done of Venice that caught my attention. It was colourful, vibrant and fun, with real movement. And, looking through reeling photos of the ball, we were both tremendously excited about the scenes that could be created in oils.

Once, it’s done, I’ll arrange for it to be framed….

FINALE

I’ll keep you posted along the way with how much we’ve raised, how the painting is progressing and when we’re close to delivery. If by any chance we manage to raise more than is needed for the painting, I plan to give the surplus to Dena. It could be a good boost for her new life, whatever she’ll be doing and wherever she’ll be living…. After all, she’s going to need somewhere to hang the painting!

Please do email me if you have any queries - juliaphailes@gmail.com

Thank you.

JULIA