The ball, held at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford, was an opportunity to celebrate the diverse communities that do so much to support Forget Me Not and to enjoy an evening of food and dancing together.
Entertainment was provided by bhangra dancers and dhol drummers, the band Indria, and DJ, Soulaisa Roadshow.
The money raised in ticket sales and fundraising on the night will go towards supporting local children with life-shortening conditions and their families, both at the children’s hospice and in their own homes.
Hosted by Lee Hayes, the evening kicked off with a speech by Forget Me Not’s chair of trustees, Jeremy Cross, and one of the mums the children’s hospice supports told her story.
Then the fundraising got into full swing with an auction where the main prize was a seven-day stay in Barbados for 10 people, generously donated by Ken Davy (local entrepreneur and president of Forget Me Not’s Platinum Partners consortium) worth more than £8,000.
Enthusiastic bidding from a number of tables drove the winning bid up to £15,000.
Vicky Lough, event organiser, said: “What an amazing night it’s been! A great atmosphere, lots of fun and a real community spirit.
"A huge thank you to all our guests for their generosity and support and to all the businesses who donated prizes as well as to our sponsors, volunteers and everyone at the Cedar Court Hotel for helping make this an evening to remember.”
Forget Me Not’s celebration ball was sponsored by Shaks Specialist Cars. Other sponsors include entertainment sponsor Advanced Supply Chain, reception sponsor Towndoor, and programme sponsor Pinnacle Group.
Here is a selection of photos from the event by Mark Flynn.
1. Fundraising
Shak Shah, managing director of Shaks Specialist Cars, and his team Photo: Submitted
4. Fundraising
Masood Ahmed, Forget Me Not's community engagement officer Photo: Submitted