It’s difficult to believe that this is the sixth gala dinner we’ve held since the foundation of the charity in 2016. It remains our flagship event and the money we raise as a result of this event is key to the ongoing funding of our young athletes. The dinners follow a tried and tested formula, good food, plenty of drink, great atmosphere, auction and live music and this one didn’t disappoint on any of the above. However this year was a particularly special one for us as we welcomed guest speaker and friend of the foundation Lauren Steadman MBE. Lauren is an Olympic gold medal winner, semi-finalist on Strictly and finalist in Celebrity SAS Who Dares Wins, so she knows a thing or two about overcoming adversity.
Lauren’s inspiring words and on-stage discussions with a number of our young athletes helped to bring to life the value that the foundation brings and really made it clear how hard it is to become a successful athlete without appropriate financial support.
As usual the auction was a highlight and Mark – our resident auctioneer – did a wonderful job getting the crowd going and more importantly spending! Kudos to the band for putting on a blazing set which got everyone out of their seats and dancing into the early hours. Thanks as well to the hotel staff who did a great job looking after all of our needs and went above and beyond to make sure everyone had a memorable and stress-free evening. Most of all of course thanks to the 130 guests who created a marvellous atmosphere and raised nearly £10,000 to pass on to our athletes. The foundation would like to thank everyone who came, parted with their cash and made the event the huge success it has become.
Without you we would not be able to do any of this, it means a huge amount. We are already excited for the seventh event to be held in 2025 – watch this space!
