Emily Palmer and her friend Sophie Anstee de Mas, both students at St. John’s Academy, organised a Halloween Ball to raise money for three charities: Tommy’s, Naomi House and Gloucester Wheelchair Rugby Club. The ball was held at the Wellington Barn in Calstone, near Calne and it raised £4,800. There were over 100 guests.
The evening started with pumpkin coloured welcome drinks and delicious canapés donated from local caterers Toffs Caterers and Bourn Catering and served by St. John’s students Amber Challen, Libby Buxton and Olivia Freeman.
The guests were then welcomed into the main room to be seated. With the green lighting, spider webs and pumpkins, it was dressed for the ‘spooktacular’ event the two girls had spent the last six months planning.
Most guests were dressed in beautiful gowns and smart tuxedos, but there were some fabulous fancy dress costumes from Frankenstein and Cinderella, to the Blues Brothers and Batman.
After a delicious meal from The Sausage and Mash Company, the guests got the chance to bid on some brilliant prizes in the grand auction and enter into the raffle to win even more lovely prizes donated by both local and national companies.
The evening ended on the dance floor with music by Mojo, the dynamic covers band.
Emily started raising money last year in memory of her nephew Oscar. She had been greatly saddened when he was stillborn. With this event she hit her target of raising £5,000 for charity in the year since she started Oscar’s Fund. Indeed with the girls’ efforts they have smashed that target.
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