Penny Black’s Social Diary: Howden’s tackle & Polaris potatoes

Howden’s rugby tackle

As I love a celebrity selfie, rugby royalty rubbing shoulders with Howden’s King, founder and CEO David Howden, caught my eye on LinkedIn.

Howden went to The Orangery at Kensington Palace to encounter the BBC’s world-class rugby commentator Andrew Cotter teeing up a Q&A with true Lions royalty: four Captains - Gavin Hastings, Martin Johnson, Alun Wyn Jones and Brian O’Driscoll – alongside arguably the greatest rugby player of all time Sir Gareth Edwards.

They were joined by one of England’s greatest ever women’s rugby players Danielle Waterman to celebrate Howden’s sponsorship of the 2025 tour.

Howden wrote: “For me, this event really brought home what a proud moment Lions ‘25 will be for our whole company. Thirty years ago, we were a start-up firm with just three people and big ambitions.”

Anyone else getting 1980s album cover vibes for the photo with the large toy lion? Anything that makes me think of Michael Jackson’s Thriller or Diana Ross’ Eaten Alive gets a thumbs up from me.

Penny’s Lunch Box

When you think Polaris, think potato.

At the software provider’s annual Christmas event at London’s Hilton Savage Garden rooftop 30 years of Polaris was marked by serving up bowls of potato with a dollop of mayonnaise.

Whether you like your potato in the form of fries or wedges, there was something to satisfy your craving for potassium but not necessarily your artistic eye. I once went to an industry event where chips were served in a Jenga Tower formation, setting the bar for potato pomposity. Three stars.