Fundraising ball raises over £140,000 for local children’s hospice care

On Saturday 3 December, our annual fundraising ball made its much-awaited return. The Snowman™-themed ball had been the biggest event on our fundraising calendar for over a decade, but when COVID-19 hit, we had to take the difficult decision to cancel the ball for 2020 and 2021. This year it returned to Brighton. The Snowman™ at The Grand 2022 took place on Saturday 3 December and our guests raised an incredible £142,387 for local children’s hospice care.

Inspired by Raymond Briggs’s classic picture book, The Snowman™, the ball was hosted by BBC Radio Sussex presenter, Allison Ferns. Along with entertainment and fundraising activities during the evening, there were also tributes to two people important to the charity, who sadly died earlier this year – our Patron, Raymond Briggs; and Vice President, Ambrose Harcourt, who was instrumental in the opening of Chestnut Tree House almost 20 years ago.

The 350 guests, which included our Vice President, Sally Gunnell; enjoyed live music from Incognito Artists and party band Down for the Count. Fundraising activities included two auctions and a raffle to win a diamond necklace worth over £4,000, kindly donated by Wakefields Jewellers.

But the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the heartfelt speech by Ed Butler, who explained what Chestnut Tree House’s care and support means to his six-year-old son, Archie, and the rest of the family. Archie was born with half a heart and Ed and his wife were told very early on that Archie’s life was limited. He had his first heart surgery at 10 days old and stayed in hospital for eight months due to his complex medical needs. When they were finally able to take him home, the family were introduced to us. Archie is currently in good health, but they don’t know what the future holds. Ed talked about how Chestnut Tree House provides short breaks for Archie and support for the whole family. And the importance of knowing that our team will be there for them, whatever happens next.

Ed’s speech was followed by the main auction, led by sports impressionist and comedian, Aaron James. There were a host of experiences for guests to bid on, including a flight in a Spitfire; the chance to learn to cook with MasterChef Champion 2018, Kenny Tutt; a VIP experience at Goodwood Festival of Speed; and the opportunity to feature in a future Peter James novel. Several guests also stood at the end of the auction to pledge £10,000 to Pay for a Day of care at Chestnut Tree House. In addition, there was the opportunity to pay for care – from multisensory experiences and family swims to a nurse home visit – via the Silent Auction site, which also included 30 items and experiences to bid on.