Penny Black’s Social Diary: IFB’s birthday and Aviva’s balls

IFB’s anniversary

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the Insurance Fraud Bureau gathered the industry’s crime-fighting fraternity for Summer Revels at The Walks in London on one of June’s hottest evenings.

Reflecting on two decades of battling fraudsters, the IFB took to LinkedIn to declare itself “proud to celebrate how that vision has grown into an industry-wide collaboration across product lines and borders”.

The organisation also thanked those who attended, noting that seeing so many people together was a reminder that “our greatest strength has always been our collective effort”.

Quite right too. Insurance people do enjoy a good collaboration. Almost as much as they enjoy free merchandise.

Among the attendees was Sarah Cashford, intelligence manager at Aviva, who appeared particularly pleased with the commemorative goodies, posting: “Can’t wait to try out the new picnic blanket and cool bag.”

Penny suspects there may now be several fraud investigators conducting surveillance from unusually comfortable picnic rugs.

Penny’s Lunch Box

At Aviva’s ‘House of Fun’ event, complete with a performance from one of the biggest bands of the 1980s, Madness, Penny encountered a canapé best described as ambitious.

The duck balls were undoubtedly delicious, but also roughly the size of a modest cricket ball and therefore presented a significant challenge for anyone attempting to maintain both dignity and conversation while standing up.

Excellent flavour. Questionable portability. Four stars.