Charity ball raises £15,000 for hospice
South West accountants and financial planners Old Mill and Somerset based charity St. Margaret's Hospice have raised more than £15,000 by holding a 'Glitter Ball'.
On Saturday 18 November, almost 200 people from across the region gathered at Haselbury Mill Tithe Barn just outside of Crewkerne to raise funds for St. Margaret's Hospice.
Nine Old Mill staff and their partners joined guests from Yeovil Lions Club, Yeovil Rotary Club, Stokes Partnership LLP, Mogers Drewett, MKM Building Supplies, Porter Dodson and many other local business people for welcome drinks, a three-course meal, entertainment from the ‘disco dudes’ and music from fantastic local band Eventine.
Staff from Old Mill and St. Margaret’s Hospice also volunteered on the night, while Rupert Cox, Chief Executive at The Royal Bath & West of England Society, led the main auction which raised a fantastic £4,175. Some of the donated auction lots included tickets to watch the Exeter Chiefs, a sailing experience on a 46ft yacht, a Mercedes-Benz driving experience, and a year’s supply of Brothers Drinks Cider. There was also a luxury hamper raffle which raised £1,540 and a silent auction, which ran throughout the evening raised a further £2,160. The rest of the money was raised through ticket sales and table sponsorship.
Carolyn Matravers, Chartered Financial Planner at Old Mill and one of the event’s main organisers said: "We are absolutely thrilled with how the evening went. It was wonderful to see guests having such a good time.”
“All the months of planning definitely paid off as we exceeded our fund-raising target. We are grateful to all those who supported us and helped make the event such a success."
Ann Lee, CEO of St. Margaret’s Hospice added “I am delighted that Old Mill chose to support St. Margaret’s Hospice this year with the wonderful Glitter Ball at Haselbury Mill.”
“It costs more than £10m every year to run our services; after NHS funding we still need to raise in excess of £7.5m to deliver our care.”
“The funds raised at the ball will help us continue to deliver our care where our patients want to receive it, either in their home or in our intensive care inpatient units. Thank you to everyone at Old Mill for organising such a fantastic night that has raised such an amazing amount of money!”
