SUPPORTERS of the Alresford Eel House met at The Swan Hotel on Saturday for the unveiling of a donors’ board by town councillor Jackie Porter.

The board bears the names of the 92 donors who have contributed a total of £49,000 to the Eel House Restoration Fund.

Mrs Porter entertained the audience with stories of the Eel House and her procurement of the stuffed eel, Ellie, from Hampshire Museum Service. Ellie is a frequent visitor at all open days.

The board will be placed on the outside wall of the eel house, which is adjacent to the small bridge over the River Arle.

There were 25 attendees at Saturday’s meeting, including Janet Goodman, the widow of David who, as secretary of the Alresford Society, was the original driving force in the restoration project.

David Woods, chairman of the Eel House committee, was presented with an engraved pewter tankard for his leadership over the 11 years of the project.

Former Winchester mayor Chris Pines, who had opened the restored Eel House in April 2008, performed the presentation, reminiscing as he did so about his four years as a teacher at the Dean School, and the school’s star pupil, Colin Firth, who lived, at the time, on Grange Road.

Organised by Pam Stevens, the meeting ended with a reminder that the Eel House will be open to the public next year on April 1, May 20, July 15, August 27, and September 16.