The final event of our 40th Anniversary celebrations took place on 23 March, at Goldsmiths’ Hall in central London. It provided a stunning backdrop for our Ruby Slipper Gala, a perfect evening of entertainment in the Emerald City.
Kindly sponsored by CDW and featuring a string of brilliant performances by West End Kids, The London Show Choir and The Sick Children’s Trust ambassador Christina Johnston amongst others, the Wizard of Oz-themed Gala and auction raised a magnificent total of £105,000 for our charity. All the money raised will go directly to supporting our ‘Homes from Home’, which have now helped more than 75,000 families since our charity was formed in 1982, providing a place to stay just minutes away from their child’s hospital bedside.
The event was co-hosted by actress and comedian Ronni Ancona and actor and writer Tim Downie, the latter who is an ambassador for The Sick Children’s Trust. Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton Du Beke and television presenter Alice Beer, both ambassadors of our charity, were also present, as was legendary stage and screen actor Michael Crawford CBE, who has been President of The Sick Children’s Trust since 1987.
There were also fantastic performances by the vocal talents of The Tootsie Rollers and Amy Lomax, while magician Simon Hughes mesmerised guests with his sleight of hand. The hugely successful auction was brilliantly conducted Alfie Joey, the north-east radio personality who has been a vocal supporter of ours for many years.
We would like to say a huge thank to everyone who performed on the night and to all the guests whose generosity helped us raise such a monumental total. It was a wonderful way for the curtain to fall on our milestone year.
Goldsmiths’ Hall in central London provided a stunning setting for an evening in ‘The Emerald City’.
Images from the evening can be found below (credit: ‘The Photography Squad’).