Stars including Simon Cowell, Lauren Silverman, Tony Hadley and Dame Joan Collins were out in force to show their support for Shooting Star Chase at our annual ball, which is set to raise more than £100,000.
The event, which took place at The Dorchester in London on Saturday 3 October, featured performances by Ryan Molloy from the Jersey Boys, British harmony swing group, Jack Pack, and winner of America’s Got Talent, ventriloquist Paul Zerdin. Guests enjoyed a four course meal by executive chef Henry Brosi, speeches from Vice Presidents Simon Cowell and Tony Hadley, and a presentation of artwork made by children at the hospices to Patron Joan Collins in honour of her Damehood.
One of the highlights of the night was the auction, which raised a fantastic £77,000 for Shooting Star Chase. Money-can’t-buy lots were on offer to the higgest bidder, including use of a private jet and lunch in France, a VIP screening of the Rugby World Cup Final at London’s Mayfair Hotel, and an evening with George Clooney!
An Afternoon Tea with Joan Collins and Julian Clary was also auctioned and raised £3,000, while Simon Cowell donated an impromptu last lot of four ‘meet and greet’ tickets to The X Factor final, which raised £8,500. Simon, who was announced as our Vice President earlier this year, then matched the amount the tickets raised with an additional donation!
Simon also successfully bid £3,000 for a one-of-a-kind Mulberry bag, and later donated it back to the charity to raise even more funds for the care service. The limited edition double-sided Bayswater was kindly given to Shooting Star Chase by the luxury accessories retailer after they heard about the theft of a £500 second-hand Mulberry bag from the charity’s Guildford shop in the summer.
Other fundraising from the night is currently being counted and the total is expected to exceed £100,000. Now in its 11th year, the Shooting Star Chase Ball has raised more than £1 million since its launch in 2004.
Karen Sugarman, Director of Fundraising at Shooting Star Chase, said: “As always, I have been overwhelmed by the generosity and support from every one of our guests. The Shooting Star Chase Ball is always such a fabulous night and we are thrilled to raise so much yet again. This will make a significant difference to families whose lives are turned upside-down and need the vital care and support of our hospice service.”