Nigel and Ian Ex. Kismet Bar

[mercury]

I have put this under this section as most people will read it.. and a lot of what they achieved was in The Calis area and beyond.
Ian and Nigel from The Kismet Bar who most of you will have heard about if not actually met have sadly left to make a new life in Spain after 10 years in Turkey..
I feel that they deserve a very special mention as these two well loved people did more for ALL of The charities.. animal and children. than anyone I know without actually being on the committee of any of them.
Nigel and I helped The 3 CS organise The largest and the best concert in Calis which was attended by over 3.000 people.. Ian sang at two of them... without them The events that the 3cs used to stage would not have been half as successful if not for Nigel putting together our routines and lending us their bar for rehearsals.. He could always be be relied to have a "leather police outfit" or a " an evening frock" lying about to be our "star of the show".  All we had to do was ask.
Ian never once let us down when asked to sing for us "yet again". at most of our fund raising events and has compared the coffee  morning and Fashion show.  I have lost count of the times he sang for us and it was always with a smile on his face.. Some of you may or may not know that he won The Midlands Entertainer of the year before he came to live in Turkey and as I have always said "he was too good for Calis" lol.
I am certain that there are many more projects been helped since Barrie and I left but just a few from memory and please comment if you remember any.
The Fethiye Boys Orphanage... FIG.. Haydos. Animal Aid.. The 3 CS (of course).. Their  quiz nights at The Kismet Bar were legendary and when the bar closed they continued at venues in Calis and Fethiye... and Ian could be relied on to give a great singing performance afterwards.
Their New Years Eve parties were legendary as was  Nigels "baby"  The Eurovision  night... choosing at least 3 winners. !! Lol
The Kismet Bar had more than their fair share of weddings and after parties.. They were very proud of their Turkish staff who were like family to them Infact one of their bar staff now is..
They have held auctions to raise at The Kismet and raised thousand for many more good causes..
I think the boyz would agree with me that their biggest and proudest acheivment would be setting up The SOMA disaster fund after the mining disaster. They were incredibly moved by it at the time and decided that they MUST do something.. Their bar was stacked to the ceiling with donations and they raised a huge amount if cash for the families..
They arranged transport and actually went to Soma to visit the graves of the miners and t meet the families and distribute the donations.
They met the local mayor to see how their money could be spent.
Luckily The Turkish government stepped in to help after,
Anyway by now you will realise that I am not the best at writing a tribute to Ian and Nigel but I feel that we at CBF can not let them go by un recognised..
No one has given more of their time and with good grace than these 2.. I have never known them turn down a charity or an individual who has asked for their help.. Even closing their bar down for the night and losing money..
Please Let us say thank you to them (which seems so little)... They will be greatly missed In Fethiye and Calis and The charities will be all the poorer without them..

[sadler]

A brilliant and much loved couple. Also a very well written tribute Mercury.

[JohnF]

Nicer couple you couldn't meet.  Known them both for years, from way before Kismet was was even a twinkle in Ian's eye, and they were the same back then.

Haven't seen much of them in the past few years but depending on where they are in Spain maybe my oldest daughter could catch up with her "auntie Nigel"  

Well done guys for helping to raise lots of money for charities and give everyone a good time as well.

JF

[Toky]

Lovely accolade Anne. Good luck to the boys in Spain.

[kayakebab]

Thank you Anne for writing this, I wasnt sure whether to do it myself.
Im absolutely gutted theyve gone and had a good blub last week.
Ian and I have walked side by side during most of the Wednesday walks putting the world to rights.
What I find lovely is that even though we very rarely went to their bar we were treated as cherished friends.
I believe it was something like 42000 tl that was raised for Soma and couldn't even make a guess as to what else they raised.
We just hope this is a brilliant move for them, they're very excited  


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[mercury]

I had forgotten the Kismet walks Linda.. Bee and I used to go on them with Graham and Julie and their lovely dog.. In the days before other things took over... I know that they are really really popular.. I hope that they carry on but without Ian will they be the same?

[kayakebab]

Hopefully someone will keep the group going

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[Menthol]

I barely know Nigel and Ian but did meet them when my youngest son and I, equally moved by the Soma disaster, wheeled a supermarket trolley full of donated food round to their bar. They were overwhelmed by the response to their Soma appeal and I was overwhelmed by their generosity of spirit.

I gather from everything I have heard and read since being here in Fethiye that these guys and their bar were legendary.

I wish them every success and happiness in their new life in Spain.

[busybee]

Wonderful words Anne and so well deserved.  They have left a big gap here, that wont be replaced.........Such good fun to be with and both have kind hearts.  Turkey's loss, Spains gain.  Have already said my goodbye's to them, but once again wishing them a great new life.

[scot]

I agree what you have  stated 100 percent  Ann.