‘Huge success’ over £1,300 raised at Phoenix Project charity ball

A charity ball held on the Isle of Wight and organised by Southern Co-op’s Funeralcare in Ryde has been named  “a huge success”, and the grand total raised was just under £1,300.

The event, held at The Lakeside Hotel, saw 50 people attending dressed in their “best dresses and suits”, and were treated to three-course meal, dancing, an auction and a raffle.

The event on 22 September was in aid of the Phoenix Project, as part of Southern Co-op’s community engagement programme ‘Love Your Neighbourhood’.

The Phoenix Project is a specialist day service for adults with learning disabilities based in Haylands in a fully accessible building set in large grounds. Lesley Borton, Southern Co-op’s Funeral co-ordinator at the Ryde funeral home, said: “This is the first time we have held a ball and it took an awful lot of organising.”

She added: “We both like to dress up so it seemed a perfect event to hold because most ladies like an excuse now a days to be able to go all out for a special occasion. We did have a lot of sleepless nights over it but got there in the end.

“We are so grateful for everybody’s support. To have raised so much money for such a deserving charity is really special.”