MANDEVILLE, Manchester — The Manchester Chamber of Commerce’s networking social this year gave members and guests the added treat of a movie at the Odeon Cineplex on Thursday, December 6.

And it was a full house as persons took up the offer to see the celebrated movie Life of Pi at no cost. They didn’t come empty-handed though, as persons complied with the chamber’s request that they take along items of tinned food for charity.

A designated area of the cinema was set up with boxes for donations in cash and kind for the Chamber’s charities — D Frank’s Basic School, New Hope Children’s Home and Ebenezer Home for the Mentally Challenged.

Wendy Freckleton, president of the Manchester Chamber, said the aim of the social was to end the year with a “bang”. The decision to incorporate the movie, she said, was to help promote the cinema as a “good and affordable” form of entertainment. This, following Palace Amusement managing director Douglas Graham soliciting the Chamber in June for ideas about how to keep the doors of the Mandeville cinema open in the face of perceived stagnantion and increasing DVD piracy.

Efforts are being made by the business lobby group to enable the cinema to become a viable means of entertainment for the parish, even as other areas for development are being examined.

Freckleton told the Jamaica Observer Central that the work of her team and others in making the evening a reality demonstrated “the true spirit of Christmas and volunteerism”.

“As a Chamber we were happy that we were able to bring together our members and citizens of the parish to network and know each other a little better. We hope that that will result in persons supporting each other in business,” she added.

Sponsors of the social were J Wray&Nephew, CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank, Sangster’s Mining, Central Dealers, Odeon Cineplex, Impulse Energy Drink and EPAMS Jamaica Limited.