Gladstone Group Charity Steward Sean Keyes, member of Adelphi Lodge No 6819, is no stranger to fund raising efforts. Following on from the success of the inaugural fund-raising ball last year for the Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and its end-of-life care programme, the Swan Model, Sean and his team had organised an even bigger event at the Rum Warehouse, Titanic Hotel, Liverpool this year.
With over 600 attendees gathered in the Rum Warehouse, the guests took their seats in the conference centre amidst the beautifully decorated tables. All looking forward to an evening of entertainment and more importantly to raise much needed funds for two very worthy causes, the Liverpool Women’s Hospital and Royal Liverpool University Hospital charities, supporting the neonatal and dementia and delirium teams respectively.
Welcoming everyone to the event, managing director Sean on behalf of his team at Sutcliffe, Civil and Structural Engineers and Surveyors, thanked all the team for their very hard work in helping to organise the ball and how proud he was of them all for their preparation in bringing the event to fruition.
Structural Engineer, Louise Collier, and her husband Peter, told a very personal story. In a strange twist of fate, Louise was already familiar with the new neonatal unit, having designed the facility as lead structural engineer on the project, never realising that their family journey would be directly shaped by the unit she had helped to design.
Their son James was born 15 weeks premature, spending the first four months of his life receiving lifesaving care in the new neonatal unit. Due to that wonderful care, James is now celebrating his second birthday and the room rang out with applause for Louise, Peter and baby James. The Liverpool Women’s Neonatal Unit takes care of more than 1,000 babies and their families every year, and the funds raised by the ball will be used to purchase a new incubator, just like the one used by James in the early part of his life.
Sean then explained that the second reason for the hospital ball, was in support of another fantastic charity, the Royal Liverpool’s Dementia and Delirium team, which provides specialist care for those living with dementia. Sean describing the impact of dementia for him personally following the death of his uncle Sean, and the impact that had on the memory of his uncle and how great a man he had been in his prime, which was cruelly curtailed by the disease of dementia.
The proceeds of the evening would be used to fund a designated area for dementia patients to take them off hospital wards and enjoy specialist activities to support their care and recovery at The Royal Liverpool Hospital. Currently, there are 22,500 people in the region living with dementia, and in 2023 the dementia and delirium team received over 900 referrals, highlighting the urgent need to actively support patients in the region.
Sean then welcomed the head of Neonatal Nursing at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Jennifer Dealey to the stage. Jennifer explained the work of the neonatal unit and how important fund-raising events like this were to the unit, saying that every penny raised contributes to vital advancements and helps to provide quality care for the 1,000s of people who use the hospital. Making a tangible difference to improving the lives of women and newborn babies who need extra care, Jennifer thanked everyone for attending the ball and for their fundraising efforts.
Sean then invited, Graham Lamph, Nurse Consultant of Liverpool Royal Hospital to talk about the fantastic work they do for dementia patients. Graham explained how the need for specialist care had evolved over the years, and that focus was now on ensuring the dementia patients have access to specialist care. The money raised would be instrumental in the creation of a specialist area away from the constraints of hospital wards, to enjoy activities to support their care and recovery aided by a specialist team, who can provide high quality, tailored care to provide personable care tailored to the individual.
Following the inspirational speeches, Sean praised the work that these two amazing charities do day-in and day-out, and expressed a wish that everyone had a fantastic evening, and to dig deep in support of the charities.
Sean and his team then took part in displaying to each table of guests a selection of signed sporting and cultural memorabilia, including a signed football by all the players of the Everton Football Club, which was kindly donated by the West Lancashire Freemasons’ Charity.
The auction was good fun and encouraged by an enthusiastic crowd for tables to outbid each other, meant that each auction bid was spontaneously applauded until the winning bid was finally achieved. The Everton football raised a magnificent £500, and as the author of this report is a Liverpudlian supporter, commented that this must be a record for such an auction!
With games of head and tails, quizzes and even a silent auction, the event participants supported the charitable fund raising magnificently rising to the challenge set by Sean. To a drum-roll and fanfare, at the end of the evening, the total raised was revealed which was an amazing £65,000 raised for the two charities, a truly remarkable amount.
The evening celebrations continued with dancing and entertainment, and with carriages awaiting, guests, Sean and the Sutcliffe team can be rightfully proud of their participation in ‘The Hospital Ball’, raising such a magnificent sum for the NHS Hospital Charities.
Story by Mike Fox.