Wow! What a night we had at our Annual Burns Night Ball on Friday, 27th January at the Grand Hotel, Gosforth Park! We think one of our loyal supporters summed it up perfectly: “A cracking night, the best one in our minds! Looking forward to next year already.”
The evening started with a cocktail reception for our 360 guests and once seated at their tables, they were treated to a stunning performance by Jack Drum Arts; a sustainable, locally-based social enterprise providing cultural opportunities for communities in County Durham and the wider region through a range of workshops, courses, theatre, music-making and outdoor events.
Ian Wilkinson from Perspective Financial Group Ltd, our sponsor for the evening, gave a very impassioned speech. His true understanding of us as an organisation and passion for what we do shone through.
After a swift game of Heads and Tails, always a fun part of the night, our guests were blown away by a simply amazing dance set by the Donna Kimberley School of Highland Dancing; a non-profit community dance group based in the North East of England. For some of the young people, this was their first time dancing at a public event. So inspiring!
Next up, our fantastic piper, Ian, led the haggis into the room. He also gave a wonderful rendition of one of Robbie Burns’ popular poems before leading the haggis back out.
The traditional Scottish 3 course meal was served by the wonderful staff of the Grand Hotel, who couldn’t have done a better job.
Next up was the auction, with some enthralling lot battles. A huge shout out to our compere and auctioneer Anna Forster from BBC Newcastle. What an absolute pro! One of the lots was for 2 all-inclusive corporate hospitality tickets to the EFL Cup Final to see Newcastle United hopefully win their first trophy in years! #hwtl
Following the auction, it was time for our guests to let their hair down. The simply brilliant Robert Whitehead Band entertained us with traditional Scottish reeling. The dancefloor was packed! Everyone gave it their all and really embraced the Scottish tradition.
Discography then sang us into the night; playing some classic disco tunes! The moves and shapes coming off of that dancefloor were epic!
Through ticket sales, raffle and auction we raised a whopping £27,000! A huge thank you to all of our supporters, guests and donors. A special thank you to our sponsors at Perspective Financial Group Ltd who went above and beyond to ensure the event was a huge success.
NE Youth CEO, Jon Niblo, said: “Another incredibly successful evening raising important funds to support key projects with young people. Huge thanks to everyone who supported the event.”
We are already planning our 2024 Annual Burns Night Ball! Why not join us, have a blast and help us raise vital funds so we can continue our essential work with young people in the North East. Book your tickets here: https://neyouth.org.uk/events/annual-burns-night-ball-2024-2/
