A star-studded 80s ball at Liverpool's ACC has raised £180k for a children's charity.
The Very Group, which operates digital retailer Very, raised £180,000 for Coram Beanstalk at its sixth charity ball on Friday, December 2. Funds raised from the event will support the children's reading charity, who first partnered with Very in 2019, to continue to provide one-on-one reading support to children across the UK through its network of schools and volunteer reading partners.
The charity’s research shows 94% of schools receiving its support see an improvement in general attitude to learning, and that children who choose to read feel better about themselves, and do better in school and in life.
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The retailer’s 1980s-themed charity ball saw 800 guests, including celebrities Lucy Mecklenburgh, Ryan Thomas, Catherine Tyldesley and Rachel Lugo, enjoy dinner and performances from a star-studded line-up. Acts included Go West, Paul Young, Tony Hadley and The Human League.
Guests also bid generously to win a selection of coveted prizes and experiences including VIP hospitality tickets to Peter Kay at The O2 and VIP backstage passes to Parklife festival. Proceeds from the ball take the total amount raised by The Very Group for Coram Beanstalk to date to £510,000.
The Very Group has a long history of supporting charities, having raised more than £1.5 million for its partners over the last five years. Previous partners include The Whitechapel Centre, Alder Hey Children’s Charity and Claire House Children’s Hospice.
Lionel Desclée, Group CEO at The Very Group, said: “We had a fantastic evening and I’d like to thank our guests for their generous support, which will make a real difference in children’s lives. Our purpose is to help families get more out of life and we’re proud to work with Coram Beanstalk, whose mission is so closely aligned with our own.
“We couldn’t have raised this sum without our wonderful sponsors, partners, colleagues and volunteers both at the ball and over the last three years. A huge thank you to everyone involved for supporting The Very Group and Coram Beanstalk in their vital work.”
Amy Lewis, head of Coram Beanstalk, said: “The charity ball was a sparkling success and a highlight of the year. It was absolutely fantastic to see so much support for our charity on the night which continued the amazing help we have received from The Very Group during our partnership to date.
“The funds raised will help us in our quest to ensure every child becomes a reader, bridging the gap of opportunity that still exists for far too many children in the UK today. With the support of The Very Group, we are able to transform lives by helping more primary school children with their reading - giving them more opportunities to succeed and the ability to choose their own path.
“The children we work with thrive within the regular reading sessions our volunteer reading helpers provide, and for many children it is the highlight of their week! When a child becomes a reader, they get the very best chance in life.”
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