Sparkling evening will support local charities

Tickets are now available for a special Masquerade Charity Ball to support Lincoln Drill Hall and Samaritans.

Charity-run arts centre Lincoln Drill Hall and Samaritans will be honoured at a Masquerade Charity Ball at Bentley Hotel Lincoln on Saturday 9th November.

The event is being organised by long-time Drill Hall and Samaritans supporter Jo Tolley.

A sparkling reception will welcome guests at 6:45pm, followed by a performance from acoustic duo Ebony & Ivory. Singer Ellie Pickering will also perform alongside Alex Flanagan after a three course meal, and headliner Adam Fox will bring his pantomime flair to the stage for an all-singing, all-dancing showstopper.

Tickets cost £45 per person, or £430 when a table of 10 is purchased, and includes a three course meal, drinks on arrival and entertainment throughout the night.

Event organiser Jo Tolley has had Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy since birth and is passionate about promoting organisations that are accessible for all, regardless of background or circumstance, and celebrate individuality.

Ahead of the ball, Jo said: “As a theatre, the Drill Hall is passionate about providing a platform where local talent can be nurtured, showcased and enjoyed, regardless of ability, or disability.

“The venue is also fully accessible and inclusive with all of their events and performances. From pantomimes that have a fully integrative cast to the disability orientated disco, Butterfly Club, Drill Hall welcomes and supports the community as a whole.

“I know these two charities seem entirely disconnected to be the combined beneficiaries of a fundraiser, but they complement each other well. Lincoln Drill Hall provides an outlet for creativity and expression which is good for the soul, and the Samaritans provide a more specialised service with specific areas of expertise to help the mind. Together, they keep us nicely ticking over.”

A portion of the money raised will go towards Lincoln Drill Hall’s ‘Be a Brick’ campaign, which was launched earlier in 2019 to raise £130,000 in response to a series of reductions in public funding.

Visitors and supporters can ‘Be a Brick’ and ‘buy a brick’ on a colourful virtual wall to show their support for £10 or £50 per year. So far, more than 1,200 bricks have been purchased and, with the support of several crucial grants, the total raised so far stands at over £86,000.

Throughout the campaign, fundraisers, including Jo, have hosted events to help boost the total and help Lincoln Drill Hall continue its mission to bring unique arts to Lincoln and provide a safe space for the community to gather.

Chris Kirkwood, CEO at Lincoln Drill Hall, said: “Jo has been a vocal supporter of Lincoln Drill Hall and our mission to make the arts as accessible as possible, so we’re delighted that she’s once again putting in a tremendous amount of time and effort to raise money for our fundraising efforts.

“The Masquerade Ball is set to be a wonderful event, and features performers that regularly showcase their talent at Lincoln Drill Hall so we would like to thank them, and Jo, for making this event possible. We look forward to celebrating with everyone on the night!”

The evening is also in aid of Lincoln Samaritans, the local branch of nationwide charity Samaritans, which supports people who are experiencing emotional distress which may lead to suicide.

Lincoln Samaritans currently has 60 volunteers helping to answer some of the five million calls for help that Samaritans responds to every year from people going through a difficult time. The Lincoln branch also runs a Listening Service at HMP Lincoln to help prisoners in emotional distress.

Beth Quarmby, director of the Lincoln Samaritans, said: “We’re amazed that Jo is continuing to support Lincoln Samaritans by holding a Masquerade Ball. All of the money that Jo raises for the local branch will help us answer more calls from people in emotional distress.”

Tickets will be available to purchase from Lincoln Drill Hall’s box office or online at www.lincolndrillhall.com until Monday 28th October. Visit writtenwheel.co.uk to submit dietary or access requirements.