A summer masquerade ball hosted by Helen Watson, Senior Partner at the law firm Aaron & Partners, has raised more than £30,000 for Claire House Children’s Hospice.
The ‘Wings & Wonder Masquerade Night’ took place at Chester Zoo and brought together nearly 200 guests from the local business community for an evening of glamour, generosity, and community spirit.
Guests enjoyed a Mardi Gras-themed celebration complete with butterfly stilt walkers, electric acoustic performances from String Infusion, and a bespoke VIP BBQ served in the zoo’s renowned courtyard, The Square.
“I have been totally overwhelmed by the support received for the Wings & Wonder charity ball,” said Helen Watson, Senior Partner at Aaron & Partners.
“Not only the support beforehand from sponsors and guests, but afterwards with the emails flooding in to congratulate us on such a great night for Claire House.
“Chester Zoo was the perfect venue for a hot summer evening, and I’m absolutely delighted with the money raised for Claire House on the night. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone involved, especially my right-hand woman Jude Kenyon at JayKay Events.”
The evening kicked off with a private VIP drinks reception in The Oakfield for leading sponsors and their guests, including Aaron & Partners, Clogau, Chester Lodge, Clear Cut Financial Planning, and Roften Galvanizing. This was followed by a main drinks reception sponsored by Crime Prevention Services.
Generous attendees helped drive the £30,000 fundraising total through a variety of activities, including a silent auction, raffles, a Gold Holiday Raffle, and a unique live-action Butterfly Race.
All proceeds from the event will go directly to Claire House Children’s Hospice to help fund their vision for a new children’s hospice in West Derby, Liverpool. Specifically, the funds raised on the night will be spent building Butterfly Bereavement Suites, providing crucial space and support for families experiencing the unimaginable loss of a child.
Jessica Ferneyhough, Corporate and Major Donor Manager at Claire House, added: “We are incredibly grateful to Helen Watson and Jude from JayKay Events for organising yet another outstanding charity ball in support of Claire House. The dedication, passion, and generosity shown by everyone involved continues to make a real difference to the children and families we support.
“Every pound raised will help bring our vision for a new children’s hospice closer to reality, allowing us to be there when families need us most. We’d also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to every guest, sponsor, and volunteer who went above and beyond to make the evening such a success.”
Claire House Children’s Hospice provides specialist nursing care, respite, counselling, and family support to seriously and terminally ill children across the region, making a profound difference to hundreds of families every year.
