On the eve of Burns Night, NE Youth hosted its annual Burns Night Ball at The Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park. Proudly sponsored by Northern Garden Sheds, the evening got underway with assembled guests in the ante-room being escorted into the Scottish-themed ballroom for the main event.
Three hundred and fifty guests took their seats, ready for an amazing evening of food, entertainment, and dancing to raise crucial funds for our charity in this, our 90th anniversary year.
We were introduced to the festivities by the wonderful Anna Foster—our compère for the evening—who charmed us with her usual wit.
A lively game of heads and tails got us underway (is any event complete without one?), providing the winner with a Prosecco afternoon tea at The Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park, and the runner-up with a wine and spirits hamper.
Then we were treated to a wonderful display of Scottish tradition when the Donna Kimberly School of Highland Dancing took to the dance floor. Guests were delighted as the group delivered a stunning cultural dance performance.
It wouldn’t be an authentic Burns Night without the reading of Robert Burns’ Address to a Haggis—along with the Piping of the Haggis through the room—both expertly performed by Ian Slater. A special lead-in to our amazing dinner.
Guests indulged in a delicious three-course Scottish feast: a warming soup and bread rolls, followed by traditional haggis, neeps, and tatties, and rounded off with the sweetness of sticky toffee pudding and custard.
The evening then moved on to the auction, with 15 prizes up for grabs, generously donated by NE Youth supporterssuch as Barbour, Vertu BMW, The Inn Collection Group, The Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park, Ray Laidlaw of Lindisfarne, and, of course, our generous sponsor, Northern Garden Sheds, to name but a few! After some great bidding battles, all the prizes were sold, and it was time to hit the dance floor.
The Robert Whitehead Band then guided our guests through some lively ceilidh dancing, with lots of laughs as people got to grips with the moves! The night ended energetically with a performance by the brilliant Storm Band, before it was time for carriages.
Dave Clayton, Managing Director at the event sponsor Northern Garden Sheds, said: “This is our second year sponsoring NE Youth’s Burns Night Supper and we are delighted with the evening. To raise over £18k is incredible – so many more young people will be supported across their 90th year.”
Jon Niblo, Chief Executive of NE Youth, said: ‘Our Burns Night Ball has always been one of core fundraising events in the calendar- it has something for everyone whether that the reciting of Burn’s poetry, the piping in of the haggis, the energetic Ceilidh or fantastic live band and disco! NE Youth hope to raise £90k across 2025 to celebrate their 90th anniversary and support more young people. The needs of young people have certainly changed over the last nine decades but opportunities and services for young people have never been more in demand! I’d like to thank our main sponsors Northern Garden Sheds and all the businesses that donated to the auction. Our focus now shifts to our Gala Dinner at the Fed on the 10th April – tickets available via our website!’
Of course, the aim of our Burns Night Ball isn’t just to provide a fantastic night for our guests but also to raise funds for NE Youth’s vital services in communities across the region.
We are delighted that the evening raised a fantastic £18,500, net of all costs!
A huge thank you to our wonderful guests, table hosts, and our incredibly generous sponsors, Northern Garden Sheds.
Thanks also to our volunteers for being a huge help on the night.
We’re looking forward to another terrific Burns Night Ball in 2026, so stay in touch for more information!
Get involved in our brilliant Gala Dinner on 10th April as we celebrate our 90th anniversary in style at The Fed, Gateshead. Tickets available here.
