Guests at our annual Charity Gala in March helped raise £58,000 to care for and support local people affected by life-limiting illness. Speaking at the event, our Chief Executive, Kate Broadhurst, told guests: “We can’t give people more time. But we can help make sure the time they have is comfortable, peaceful and filled with the people they love.”
The exclusive event, sponsored by local fire health and safety company Safesmart, was attended by 130 guests, and was hosted at the world-famous Marshall Studio in Bletchley.
A champagne reception, sponsored by Geoffrey Leaver Solicitors, kickstarted the evening, followed by a three-course dinner and live music from a Frank Sinatra tribute act. Games, a casino table and a live auction hosted by celebrity auctioneer Charlie Ross all meant that guests could have fun while supporting a worthy local cause.
Care was at the heart of the evening – guests watched moving personal videos from three local people whose loved ones have been cared for by the Hospice. Each took time to share their story and explain the difference the care made to their families’ lives. One of the videos was from Charlie, whose partner, Jason, had a brain tumour and received end-of-life care in our In-Patient Unit.
“Willen Hospice looked after all of us,” said Charlie. “I could stay over with Jay, so I could then just be his partner again and not his carer. Family were there all the time. The Hospice team made us all welcome and they just made him so comfortable. He’d said that when he was going to pass, he wanted to be surrounded by us all, and we were able to do that.”
Chief Executive, Kate Broadhurst, was on-stage to welcome guests and reinforce just how dependent the Hospice is, as a registered charity, on local people to keep its services running. Kate said: “The most important thing to know about Willen Hospice is this: our care exists because our community chooses to make it possible. Every year 87% of the £11 million it costs to run the Hospice comes from people like you: through donations, fundraising, shopping in our stores, running marathons, leaving gifts in wills, and so many other generous acts. When you break that down, it costs more than £30,000 every single day to provide our full range of services. Tonight is about fundraising to deliver this vital care. We can’t gift time. But together, we can help create moments that matter.”
We’d like to thank the many Milton Keynes-based businesses who stepped up to support the event financially, ensuring as much profit as possible could be raised for care. IT and recruitment experts Lucid Support sponsored the entertainment, accountancy firm MHA sponsored the Heads and Tails game, and other companies generously donated prizes or treats for guests.
We are also grateful to an enthusiastic crew of our staff and volunteers, who worked from morning until late into the night. They made sure the event was not only a fantastic evening out for guests, but also raised a huge amount of money to support local families going through what may be the toughest time of their lives.
