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Over £3,000 was raised at Elizabeth Legacy of Hope’s first fundraising event on Sunday 24th July – a Chopin and Champagne concert, which took place at Rainthorpe Hall, near Norwich.
110 people attended the event, to sample a range of delicious champagne, listening to a selection of Chopin’s finest work on the piano and soak up the beautiful scenery of Rainthorpe Hall – a magnificent Jacobean mansion that dates back to the seventeenth century. All proceeds from the night were raised directly to support ELoH’s vital work.
On arrival, guests took their seats in the Great Hall and were mesmerised for forty five minutes by a carefully chosen selection of Frederic Chopin’s best works. The performance was given on the grand piano by Simon Callaghan, an accomplished pianist who has extensive experience of performing on an international level – having most recently showcased at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall.
During the interval, guests took part in an exciting ‘blind’ Champagne tasting, sampling a range of five different fizzies. Everyone was given a form to record what they thought they were tasting, and at the end of the evening it was revealed exactly what they had been given. The champagne was generously donated by two local wine merchants, Adnams Cellar & Kitchen and Premium Wines in Norwich.
The interval also gave plenty of time to sell lots of raffle tickets, giving guests the chance to win an array of luxury goodies, including a hamper from the House of Commons, a watch, an annual subscription to the Eastern Daily Press Norfolk magazine and signed copy of a Louis de Bernieres novel. The raffle alone raised over £1,000 for ELoH.
The evening ended with an idyllic finale of a Chopin Nocturne, followed by five minutes of Bach after requests for an encore could not be ignored!
Speaking after the event, Victoria Bacon, ELoH trustee and event organiser said:
“What a successful night! It was a gloriously sunny evening and the house and garden looked stunning. We are delighted to have raised so much money for Elizabeth’s Legacy of Hope, so that we can keep on helping limbless children to walk, jump, skip and dance, just as they deserve. We are so grateful for everyone’s kindness and generosity, in particular to Suzy and Alastair Wilson who hosted this landmark event for us. Without them, it wouldn’t have been possible. We are all looking forward to the next fundraiser already!”
Huge thanks from the whole ELoH team to Alistair and Susie Wilson, without whom this event could not have happened.
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