Sir Gareth Southgate joins supporters as Martin House Glitter Ball raises £280,000

Martin House Children’s Hospice has raised over £280,000 at its annual Glitter Ball, with charity ambassador Sir Gareth Southgate among those in attendance.

Hundreds of supporters came together at Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate on Friday, October 16 for one of Martin House’s biggest fundraising events of the year.

Hosted by broadcasters Christine Talbot and Duncan Wood, the evening featured entertainment, fundraising and live and online auctions.

Ex-England manager Sir Gareth, a long-term ambassador for Martin House, attended the event and also donated one of the standout auction prizes – a private 90-minute coaching session for a junior football team of up to 20 players.

Among the other lots was a limited-edition Omega Seamaster Diver 300M watch, an Oracle Red Bull Racing factory tour, an Emmerdale experience with actor Jeff Hordley and a seven-night stay in St Ives.

The money raised will help Martin House continue providing specialist palliative care and support to children and young people with life-shortening conditions, and their families, across West, North and East Yorkshire.

The £250,000 raised could help pay to run Martin House for an entire week, or keep its hydrotherapy pool running for a year, providing hundreds of sessions for children and young people.

Each year, Martin House supports more than 550 children and young people at its hospice in Boston Spa, in hospitals and in families’ own homes. Providing its services costs around £13 million a year, with the majority funded through voluntary donations and fundraising.

Robyn Mountain Wade, director of income generation at Martin House, said: “We are absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity shown at this year’s Glitter Ball.” 

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