Star studded ball raises more than £50,000 for children’s hospice

The James Bond themed Valentine’s Ball at Bowers Mill, Barkisland, was attended by almost 300 people, including actors, Alan Halsall from Coronation Street, and Dominic Brunt from Emmerdale .

It is the second ball that Kate and Georgina Macauley have organised for the Forget Me Not children’s hospice in Huddersfield. The first ball, two years ago, raised over £45,000, which was the biggest single fundraiser ever for the hospice.

The hospice is close to the hearts of Kate, of Norland, and Georgina, of Sowerby. They work for Timeout Homes , a family run business which looks after children with complex needs from across the country.

The company was started by their mum, Janet Lumb, in Ripponden in 2004, and now has over 12 homes, along with a school in the 17th century Brearley Hall at Luddenden Foot. It is the only school of its kind in Yorkshire. The sisters are trustees of the Timeout Foundation, a charity to promote the interests of all looked after youngsters in the UK.

“Improving the lives of children in our community is central to everything we do and we love supporting the hospice. We really are blown away by the amount we have raised this year, but couldn’t have done it without the help of local businesses and the support of the community,” says Kate.

Guests at the ball walked on a red carpet to a gold bar serving cocktails and a performer inside a six foot martini glass. Gold painted Bond girls served champagne with sparklers attached, to each table, and entertainment came from a Shirley Bassey tribute act, String Fusion, a DJ, a saxophonist and a bongo drums player.

Auction prizes included a holiday in the Maldives and tickets to this year’s Wimbledon. Sponsors included Timeout Homes, Develop, Enco , Sailbrand , WDF, PGC, Equinox, Yorkshire Packaging Systems, Pollards Moving and Storage, Howarth and Hollings and J&C Joel.

Gemma Redford, from Forget Me Not, spoke at the ball and thanked everyone . Guests on the Timeout table included Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker and Calderdale Councillor Howard Blagbrough.

A third ball is already being planned .