What a Night, Such a Ball!

The Ambassadors’ Ball 2022 has broken all records! After all the expenses, including administration, the profit from this year’s Ball, which we will be spending directly in Darfur, is a staggering £40,209. This will fund not just an additional village in North Darfur, but go a long way to enabling us to build our fifteenth Kindergarten – something mothers have been begging us to do. They know that education is the way out of poverty.

We are basking in the afterglow of this year’s Ambassadors’ Ball held once again at The Hyatt The Churchill Hotel in London. We were delighted that so many of you could join us, despite Covid, despite travel problems, and despite it being in the holiday season. Your help has raised vital funds for the children of Darfur. I would especially like to thank all of you who could not join us this year, but who have contributed so generously towards the Ball.

After all the hard work behind the scenes, the moment the first guests arrive – the ladies in beautiful Ball gowns, the gentlemen looking exceptionally splendid – I knew it would be a special evening! And it was. First there was the champagne Reception, then the delicious dinner, delectable drinks (supplied by our wonderful sponsor, IDS), amazing prizes and fabulous music from Funktonite once again! The dance floor was packed every minute they played, and everyone who stayed until the wee small hours was on that floor. A special thank you to Howard Peacock for what must have been hours of rehearsal – as Howard said – the dance floor did not have an inch spare all night! It was brilliant. And yes, Funktonite are booked for next year’s Ball too – A DATE FOR YOUR DIARIES – Saturday 17th June 2023!

How do we even begin to thank all our friends who have donated fabulous prizes to our Auctions, Raffle and Locked Box? The Raffle alone raised £2,250 – that’s 45 goats! Five goats each for NINE families!

And the auction? This truly was our best yet!

Dame Joanna Lumley OBE FRGS donated her Jubilee Swatch Watch featuring the Queen in different outfits for every day of the week, Miriam Margolyes OBE has promised a Thai Meal at her own home (that was fiercely fought over!),  Stefania Indelicato again created a unique fresh water pearl necklace, Michael Blyth donated family photoshoots, a really special prize, Jane Gowing of Bocketts Farm gave not just one but THREE weeks to THREE different bidders at her beautiful home in Orkney and Philip Treacy OBE donated the most beautiful hat which we were all vying for! And there was more.

The Auctions together made over £23,000 – can you imagine just how many lives you have helped us change?

And then there was the Locked Box. Such a fun game! The queue formed right around the room and amazingly, the seventh key tried was the lucky winner! A beautiful Tiffany Paloma Picasso pendant was the prize! I would really like to thank Michal and Gary for their huge generosity.

Thank you to everyone who sponsored us, advertised with us, donated prizes, volunteered to help and joined us – I am more grateful than I can say!

The Ambassadors’ Ball 2023

Our Advertisers: IDS, Delamere Dairy, Bocketts Farm, Perfect Motion Physio, Ambersouk, Eaton House, Gordon’s School, Holm PC and Queens Gate School

Our Auctions and Gala Raffle supporters:  Joanna Lumley, Delamere Dairy, KanKan, Cotswold Wildlife Park, Stanlake Park Wine Estate, Boden, Madeleine Cornish Photography, Lizzie Dyer – Just Kidding, Bocketts Farm, Ambersouk, Planet Organic, Amanda Avery-Hebditch, Buyagift.com, Jane and James Gowing, , Michael Blyth, Brian Davis, Perfect Motion Physio, Alan Jenkins, Stefania Indelicato, Dominic Jermey, Bolney Wine Estate, Sokol Cikalleshi, Devolli Corporation, Patrick Doyle – IDS, Pernod Ricard, Miriam Margoyles, The Wine Society, Philip Treacy, Liz Sutton, Charles and Laura Davies, Peter Morrell
HR Owen Lamborghini, Fanny and Robert Thomas, Michal Skutecki and Gary Wilkinson
and Lord Clement-Jones.

JOIN US AT OUR GALA BALL!   SEE WHAT FUN WE HAD!

Below – a taster of the evening. We were really fortunate to have Peter Hinton as our photographer.   Thank you Peter for donating your time and expertise – I really hoped for atmospheric pictures, and these are fabulous. If you would like to order photographs please contact charlotte@kidsforkids.org.uk .   You will get a digital file of each picture so that you can print as many as you wish!

Join us at our next Events – Fishing Day – Saturday 8th October (link to purchase tickets)

Candlelit Christmas Concert – Thursday 1st December (link to purchase tickets)