Nearly 300 Cinderellas and Prince Charmings gathered in their finest party outfits at London’s Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel for the fairytale-themed evening hosted by comedian and Lily patron, Josh Widdicombe.
On arrival at the venue, guests were instantly transported to a magical palace thanks to the skill and imagination of the Lily events team and Artpod Brighton. Glittering chandeliers, twinkling lights and a magic pumpkin carriage saw the rags-to-riches theme brought to life in mesmerising style.
After a glass of fizz to break the ice, the evening kicked off with the speeches. One of the biggest cheers of the night came when CEO and Lily founder Liz Curtis announced that earlier in the year the charity had reached £10 million – what a momentous fundraising milestone.
She gave a special shoutout to Dr Mike Champion who is retiring this year. Mike was Lily’s doctor and the medical momentum behind the origin of The Lily Foundation. On behalf of herself, partner Dave and every patient Mike has supported over the years, Liz thanked him and wished him well for the next stage of his life.
Liz then reflected on how important it is for mito patients to get a confirmed diagnosis of their condition. Huge thanks to Millie for sharing her and partner Tony’s harrowing story of the loss of their baby boy, Otto, and why his mito diagnosis held such significance for them. Millie’s words reinforced why we do what we do, and moved many guests to tears.
After the speeches, guests enjoyed an exquisite 3-course meal whilst taking lucky dips in the raffle and bidding on a selection of exciting lots in a silent auction conducted seamlessly by agency A Star Experience.
The entertainment kept on coming in the shape of the larger-than-life drag act Bosom Buddies. They were followed by ex-England rugby player and after-dinner speaker David Trick, who oversaw the grand auction, ably assisted by Josh and fellow Lily patron, actor Lucy Speed.
And there were certainly some fairytale prizes on offer, all generously donated by our supporters, from a meet & greet with Peter Kay and tickets for the upcoming heavyweight title fight in Saudi Arabia to a fantastic behind-the-scenes Grand Prix TV experience.
Unlike Cinders, no one had to dash off at midnight. Instead, thanks to live music from the fabulous Fully FunKtional, it was off with the glass slippers and onto the dancefloor until the wee hours.
Huge thanks to all of you who played your part to make this very special event happen. We couldn’t do it without the help of each and every one of you.
In total, the evening raised over £64,000, with ticket sales and pledges still to follow. All proceeds will go directly towards supporting people affected by mito – people like Millie and Tony and their beautiful baby, Otto.