use Mail::Sendmail;
my $Date = substr(gmtime 
    $ref_event->{'EventStartDateTime'},0,10);
my $SecID = int rand 16777216;
my %m;

# what I'd like to do except it doesn't work:

%m = (
    To      => $ref_provider->{'ProviderEmail'},
    From    => 'management@trainingboard.co.uk',
    Subject => 'COURSE AVAILABILITY INQUIRY',
    Message => "We have received an inquiry about 
        availability on the following course run by 
        you:\n\n
        Course Title:\t\t\t
        $ref_course->{'CourseTitle'}\n \nCourse 
        Date:\t\t\t$Date\n\n
        Number of Places Requested:\t\t
        $ref_booking->{'NumberOfAttendees'}\n\n
        Please confirm within 24 hours whether sufficient 
        places are available (and if not, what alternatives 
        there may be) by visiting the following site: 
        http://www.trainingboard.co.uk/dmp/
        $ref_provider->{'ProviderID'}/booking.pl?
        Action=Confirm Availability&BookingID=
        $ref->{'BookingID'}&SecID=$SecID",
);

# what I am doing at present but hope to improve on:

my $To = $ref_provider->{'ProviderEmail'};
my $Message = "We have received an inquiry about
    availability on the following course run by 
    you:\n\n
    Course Title:\t\t\t
    $ref_course->{'CourseTitle'}\n \nCourse 
    Date:\t\t\t$Date\n\n
    Number of Places Requested:\t\t
    $ref_booking->{'NumberOfAttendees'}\n\n
    Please confirm within 24 hours whether sufficient 
    places are available (and if not, what alternatives 
    there may be) by visiting the following site: 
    http://www.trainingboard.co.uk/dmp/
    $ref_provider->{'ProviderID'}/booking.pl?
    Action=Confirm Availability&BookingID=
    $ref->{'BookingID'}&SecID=$SecID";

%m = (
    To      => $To,
    From    => 'management@trainingboard.co.uk',
    Subject => 'COURSE AVAILABILITY INQUIRY',
    Message => $Message,
);