A charity ball will be the pick of the pops next month as generous North East entrepreneurs and guests dig deep for Teenage Cancer Trust.Members of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum will be celebrating the very best in rock and pop history at the “Teenage Kicks all Through the Night” gala ball, hosted by legendary music maestro Mike Read.
Over the last seven years the Forum has raised a total of £415,000 at its annual charity balls.
The latest – at the Gateshead Hilton Hotel on October 9 – is in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust, a charity devoted to improving the lives of young people with cancer.
Every day in the UK, six young people are told they have cancer. This is a rising figure and there are already more young people than children with the disease. Teenage Cancer Trust understands that teenage cancer requires specialist care, provided in an environment suited to their specific needs. So they fund specialist teenage cancer units in NHS hospitals that are designed to give teenagers the very best chance of a positive outcome. There are currently 17 of these specialist units across the country, including a ten-bed unit at the Great North Children’s Hospital in Newcastle.
The ball will raise funds for a new eight-bed unit at The Freeman Hospital, Newcastle, which will care for young cancer patients, aged 18-24, from across the North East and surrounding areas.
Guests will enjoy a rock star experience at the ball, with VIP service, a champagne supernova reception and a Pop Pickers auction.
Many rock and pop rarities will up for grabs including a signed Roger Daltrey Freshman acoustic guitar and a signed mic used by the singer on his last tour with The Who, wine from Cliff Richard’s personal vineyard signed by the legend himself , meet and greet with Paul Weller, a day in a recording studio and the ultimate rock and roll Access All Areas weekend, staying in the Sanctum Soho Rock Hotel.
And guaranteed to create a bidding war, the photographic image that best defines rock and roll, John Lennon's famous doorway pose emphatically brought to life by Beatles photographer and friend Jürgen Vollmer, signed by the artist.
The amazing line-up of entertainment will be provided by the Acoustic Beatles and tribute band The Whodlums
And performing as special guests on the evening - breaking from their tour of the UK and Europe for one night only - we are thrilled to welcome the synth-pop group Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark to bang out an array of their hits from a back catalogue spanning 30 years including “if you leave” and “maid of orleans”.
If all this wasn’t enough, as the national patron of this fantastic charity devoted to improving the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer, we are hopeful that the rock and pop theme of the evening will be brought alive by one of the charity’s most famous patrons – Roger Daltrey, front man of The Who, trying his very best to be there if his diary allows. Now that’s entertainment!
Speaking about the charity ball, Roger said: "The Teenage Cancer Trust Unit at the RVI Newcastle will ensure that young people in this area have the proper support they need to help fight this terrible disease. Be involved in the health of your area. This is your hospital, these are your teenagers, support them."
Former Radio One veteran Mike Read, known for his encyclopaedic knowledge of popular music, will MC the evening and test guests’ knowledge of old rock and pop favourites from the 70s and 80s.
He is Radio One’s longest-serving breakfast show host and has won ten Broadcaster of the Year Awards. He is also a poet and a performer and composer of stage musicals, famously playing the title role in Cliff: The Musical! which he also wrote.
His broadcasting career began on a local radio station in Reading, where he co-hosted with Steve Wright, before going on to Radio Luxembourg then Radio One, where he hosted the breakfast show for five years.
He later moved to Capital Gold and was subsequently heard on Jazz FM and Classic FM.
Mike’s television work includes hosting the long-running Saturday Superstore, Top of the Pops and Pop Quiz.
A prolific songwriter himself, his work has been recorded by Cliff Richard, Justin Hayward, Chris Rea and Steve Harley. He has written several volumes of poetry, a biography of Rupert Brooke, two crime novels and numerous books about the charts.
Chief Executive of the Entrepreneurs’ Forum Carole Beverley said: “Teenage Cancer Trust is a fantastic charity striving to make life better for young people in our region, believing that teenagers shouldn’t stop being teenagers because they have cancer.
“Usually placed on a children’s ward or with elderly patients, young people often feel very isolated when facing a cancer diagnosis. Teenage Cancer Trust units allow young people to be treated with others their own age, in an environment suited to their needs.”
Carole added: “Our charity ball always brings out the very best in our members and sponsors who never fail to amaze me with their exceptional altruism.
“We are delighted to be able to support Teenage Cancer Trust and hope to raise another huge sum this year to help fund their incredible work.”
Speaking recently about the charity, Regional patron and X-Factor winner Joe McElderry, who recently visited young cancer paients in the region, said: “I am truly honoured to be an ambassador for the Teenage Cancer Trust. The charity has achieved so much in Newcastle and across the UK with its fundraising appeals and I hope to help raise awareness and support for such a great cause.”
Tickets for the ball, which start from £1,000 +VAT for a table of ten or £100 +VAT per person, can be booked by calling 0870 8502233 or emailing info@entrepreneursforum.net
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