Did we get your picture? GeeWizz Midsummer Ball nets £75,000 for charity work
Midsummer revellers have raised a colossal £75,000 for Bury-based charity GeeWizz.
Last night, England cricket legend and Strictly Come Dancing star Graeme Swann welcomed more than 450 guests to Hall Farm in Fornham St Martin, where a host of auction prizes went under the hammer.
Mr Swann recently became an ambassador for GeeWizz told guests the charity held a special place in his heart, associated as it was with the legacy of Sir Bobby Robson.
Among the auction prizes were VIP Elton John Farewell Concert tickets, along with VIP Robbie Williams tickets, a Fantic Caballero Motorcycle, a signed Ed Sheeran painting and a private dining experience with Pascal Canevet, of Maison Bleue. Highest bid was paid for a country shoot, which went for £10,000 alone. The auction was conducted by Lacy, Scott and Knight's Edward Crichton.
Picture: Twitter via Ali Moulton
The evening also saw a hugely successful golden ticket draw with watches from Preston & Duckworth. Proceeds from ticket sales totalled £12,000.
The guests, who had attended from across Suffolk, enjoyed entertainment from The Queens of the Night and world-renowned RPJ Band, with their lead singer Rick Parfit Jnr.
Picture: Twitter via Sarah Healey Pearce
GeeWizz founder Gina Long MBE said: "Our second Midsummer Night’s Party completely surpassed our wildest dreams. I am overwhelmed by the support we received from our kind sponsors, all of the party suppliers, each one going above and beyond to ensure everything was absolutely perfect for our attending guests.
“Graeme Swann did an outstanding job as our host, along with Rick Parfit Jnr who literally got and kept the party goers dancing all night.
“The huge amounts raised will allow us to do what we simply love doing, helping change many local lives.”
One of the key aims of last night's event was to buy another wheelchair for one of the GeeWizz 'children' - young George Woodward.
Milsom Catering served a champagne canape reception, followed by a three-course dinner. The Great Event Company, Dreamwave Events, Figa & Co, TDC Cordless Lighting, Greene King, Coastline Graphics and Botanica, all helped to create a magical party setting in a meadow on the farm.
Mrs Long thanked key sponsors of the event, including joint main sponsors TRU7 Group and Abbeygate Wealth Management, supported by TMJ Interiors, Momentum Pensions, Landguard Point, Chassis Cab, Toppesfield, Steve Lumley Planing Ltd, Krazy Horse and Ashtons Legal.
See Friday's Bury Free Press for more great pictures from the event.
