The Sydney Mitchell Charity Ball held at the National Conference Centre on 6 October 2023 was a successful event, with 190 people in attendance. The ball aimed to raise funds for two nominated local charities: Carers Trust Solihull and Parenting Mental Health.
The evening was hosted by Paul Martin, a Magic Circle magician, who served as the compere for the event. The night was filled with entertainment, including heartwarming speeches from Brandon Scott-Omenka, the CEO of Carers Trust Solihull, and Suzanne Anderson, the founder of Parenting Mental Health.
Brandon Scott-Omenka shared Carers Trust Solihull passion for making a difference. Brandon highlighted that under his leadership, Carers Trust Solihull has grown from 2,000 registered unpaid carers to 4,660. He expressed gratitude for the selfless support of the volunteers and staff, many of whom are retired NHS professionals. It is through their hard work and dedication that Carers Trust Solihull has been able to grow our reach and awareness. Bringing more unpaid carers into our support network than we ever have before.
In addition to the speeches, the event featured spectacular magic performances and music from the indie pop & rock band Under the Sun. There was also a “fun money” casino, as well as an auction and raffle with prizes donated by local businesses. The Sydney Mitchell army of raffle volunteers played a crucial role in selling tickets during the evening.
Linda Heyworth, Sydney Mitchell Senior Marketing Manager (left)
Brandon Scott-Omenka, CEO Carers Trust Solihull (Right)
The National Motorcycle Museum and Frances Newman of Pellier Noir / Smile Events also contributed to the fundraising efforts by donating a percentage of sales from the event to the charities. Overall, over £5,000 was raised from various activities on the night, in addition to the funds raised from ticket sales, bringing the total to a staggering £7,500.
Generous prizes were donated by various contacts and local businesses, including the National Conference Centre, Ashas, Copt Heath Golf Club, A J Gallagher Insurance Brokers, Nuthurst Grange Hotel, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Precious Nails & Shiny Lashes, Mybody Fit, Perfect Personnel, Urban Body Physio, Touchwood, Sydney Mitchell LLP, Tudor Grange, Smart Business Recovery, Unleashed Beauty, Katie & Co., Pertemps, Isis Conveyancing, Solihull Summer Fest, and Teresa Mannion of Sydney Mitchell.
Special thanks to Dave Radburn, who presented a table at the Solihull Sporting Society Christmas Luncheon Event, and to Jack Grealish for signing an England Shirt for the silent auction. Poppleton & Appleby also made a donation of £150 during the event.
The £7,500 raised will be split between Carers Trust Solihull and Parenting Mental Health but on behalf of Carers Trust Solihull, we would like to say thank you.
Thank you to Sydney Mitchell for nominating us and for your constant support, allowing us to help unpaid carers across Solihull and Birmingham. Thank you to everyone for taking part and raising not only donations but also awareness. It is your support that keeps us all going, to do what we can to help those who need it the most.
Equity Partners Sydney Mitchell Solicitors
