Mayor’s “Lisa May” Ball Raises over £14,000 

The Mayor’s “Lisa May” Ball raised a super duper £14,009 for our chosen charities.

The event took place at Pennyhill Park Hotel on Friday 2^nd May 2014 and was hosted by Surrey Heath Mayor, Cllr Beverley Harding and her consort Malcolm Harding who have kindly supported LMF during their Mayoral year.

Over 140 people attended the ball, with guests including six Mayors from other boroughs, as well as local councillors, county councillors and representatives of local businesses. Participants were welcomed with refreshing peach Bellinis and canapés before being seated by the Toastmaster Micheal Thwaites to enjoy a delicious four course meal while our guests enjoyed a beautiful acoustic guitar performance by Nathan Churchill.

One of the main features of the Ball was a live auction hosted by Celebrity Auctioneer, Jonty Hearnden, a recognisable face known for BBC1’s Cash in the Attic and he is currently filming Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is. Hearnden’s charismatic auctioning skills helped to bring in over £5,000 on the night!

Jonty Hearnden said: “It was a fantastic evening with a great crowd. I love this job, especially when it enables me to highlight some of the fantastic work of this Foundation, which helps several smaller charities in the community on a daily basis, as well as disaster relief further afield”

Incorporated into the evening was the Lisa May Foundation’s Grand Raffle, offering guests a chance to win some wonderful prizes, notably: a spa day voucher with lunch for two at Pennyhill Park, a 22” Samsung television donated by Sainsbury’s Farnborough, and a portable DVD Player from the Sony Centre in Camberley. Barclays Frimley kindly agreed to match fund the Raffle, helping to further boost the total on the night and raise even more money for LMF.

This event would not have been possible without the generous sponsorship of neighbouring businesses, such as: SC Johnson, Luff & Wilkins and Luff Associates Estate Agents, Domino’s Pizza, and of course the unending support of Pennyhill Park Hotel and their staff.

Our guests enjoyed some delightful entertainment throughout the evening, a live band provided by The Fat Cats . Further opportunities for some light-hearted fun were available through a free photo booth and a range of fabulous props, courtesy of Tonic Parties and Events, to help capture some unique moments. Official photos were taken by Tica Photography, and Alan Meeks, from the local camera club, took some fantastic informal, atmospheric shots.

Lisa May Foundation’s Fundraising Manager Cheryl D’Cruz said: “2013-14 has been a busy year for the Foundation, thanks in part to the passionate and energetic Mayor Councillor Beverly Harding. We have done everything from networking breakfasts and a ladies lunch to a fashion show and now a five star ball! The opportunity to highlight the work we do has been fantastic.”

The Mayoress Councillor Beverley Harding said: “As Mayor of Surrey Heath I have carried out many duties and made many new friends, but the most humbling experience has been the opportunity to see and meet the charities who will reap the benefits.”

Please capture a flavour of the evening from our short video thanks to Kambo Films http://youtu.be/M5cMbkm9aRI

The Lisa May Foundation continues to supports selected local charities in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire; simultaneously raising funds for victims of natural disasters across the world. Please keep us on your list of worthy causes to support, we appreciate your efforts.