North East Snowflake Ball set to raise thousands for families with seriously ill children in hospital

Local businesswomen are getting ready to raise money for The Sick Children’s Trust by hosting the fourth annual Snowflake Ball.

On 2 December, guests are invited to attend this year’s Snowflake Ball to raise funds for The Sick Children’s Trust, a charity which supports families with seriously ill children with free ‘Home from Home’ accommodation close to their child’s hospital bedside.

In Newcastle upon Tyne, the charity runs two ‘Homes from Home’ located at the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Freeman Hospital supporting families with seriously ill children undergoing treatment at the specialist hospitals. Scott House and Crawford House, which have supported hundreds of families across the North East, will benefit directly from the proceeds of the evening which will be held at the Newcastle Gateshead Marriott Hotel. North East Fundraising Committee member and General Manager of Kielder Waterside, Sam Haley, says:

“The Sick Children’s Trust is a charity that does incredible work right across the region and it’s an organisation that myself and the committee are extremely passionate about. As a committee, we do all that we can to raise funds whenever possible, and the Snowflake Ball is a brilliant way to not only raise money, but raise awareness of this amazing charity’s vital work.

“We are really looking forward to the event. It’s always a fabulous and fun occasion with a range of entertainment from a live auction to a variety of performances from special guests. It’s also a great brilliant opportunity for local businesses to get involved with The Sick Children’s Trust.”

Each year, the Snowflake Ball kicks off the festive season in sparkly style with fabulous entertainment including hosts Alfie Joey and Cal Halbert, and funk and soul band ‘Shaka’. Guests will enjoy a champagne reception and four course dinner.

During the evening, guests will also hear first-hand the difference their generosity makes to families with seriously ill children in hospital. Last year’s family speakers, parents Mark and Sarah Ramshaw, were supported by The Sick Children’s Trust’s Crawford House for three weeks, when their son William was diagnosed with Down’s syndrome and born with an imperforate anus and breathing problems. Mark Ramshaw, says:

“When William was born, we had no idea about the difficulties that we were going to go through. Within hours of us realising that something wasn’t quite right, William was rushed over 40 miles away from our home in Stockton to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI), where he then spent three weeks undergoing surgery and treatment at the specialist hospital.

“We hadn’t even considered our own accommodation when we were first in hospital with William, but we were hugely comforted when Gail, the Crawford House Manager, told us about the ‘Home from Home’. It was just such a huge relief and one less thing to worry about. The Sick Children’s Trust’s ‘Homes from Home’ are so unique and Crawford House is truly there for everyone in their time of need, especially for us. We had just handed over our new born baby to the surgeons and were anxious and tearful on our arrival but the friendly faces and the reassurance that Crawford House and the team gave us greatly comforted us.

“When your baby is ill, the last thing you want to do is leave the hospital grounds. I don’t know how we would have coped without Crawford House. Telling our story at last year’s Snowflake Ball was an incredibly emotional experience, at the end it felt like we had 300 brand new people supporting us and William. It was an honour to share our story, a privilege and incredibly uplifting to see the reaction of so many people. It’s brilliant to see the impact it has on others, because it becomes a part of their lives too.”

Speaking of last year’s event, Campaign and Appeals Manager at The Sick Children’s Trust, Caroline O’Doherty, says:

“Although The Sick Children’s Trust provides accommodation free to families with seriously ill children, it costs the charity £30 to support a family for one night. Every year, because of the Snowflake Ball, hundreds of families are given a place to stay, just minutes from their child’s hospital bedside.

“Thanks to all the generosity at The Snowflake Ball last year, it made a significant difference to the families we support in the North East at our ‘Homes from Home’ Crawford House and Scott House. We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came, the North East Fundraising Committee and of course The Marriott Hotel for its continued support. We know that this year will be another huge success!”

To purchase your tickets or tables, please contact caroline@sickchildrenstrust.org or by calling 0191 282 5825.

For further information about The Sick Children’s Trust and the Snowflake Ball, please visit http://www.sickchildrenstrust.org/