Our First Ever Pearl Ball

A Night to Remember

An evening of celebration, community and meaningful change

Almost £9,000 raised

For Survivors of Sexual Abuse & Violence

We are absolutely over the moon to share that our very first Pearl Ball was an outstanding success, a magical evening that brought our community together and raised almost £9,000 for the vital work SARAC does every day.

How the evening unfolded

The night began with welcome drinks and the kind of warm, easy mingling that sets the tone for a wonderful evening. Once guests were seated, the room heard from SARAC’s CEO Caroline Fotheringham, Chair of Trustees Alison Allerson and Richard Brooks from the Burton and District Chamber of Commerce, words that grounded the occasion in both gratitude and purpose.

A beautiful meal followed, before Caroline took to the floor with a heartfelt presentation on why SARAC exists and just how overwhelming the need is within our community. Hard-hitting statistics were shared alongside real-life feedback from previous service users, words that had been sent in and were read aloud by our practitioners. It was a powerful, moving reminder of why every single pound raised matters so much. This was then followed by a special performance (performed by Ali Goodall) of two meaningful songs, carefully selected by SARAC, (Lean on Me by Bill Withers and Somewhere Over the Rainbow by Judy Garland).

“The success of the evening is a true reflection of the kindness, enthusiasm and commitment of everyone who attended, donated, sponsored and supported the event in so many ways.”

The auction, raffle and a huge thank you

Then came the auction and raffle, and what a collection it was. Jewellery, original artwork, unforgettable experiences and so much more were bid upon with generosity and spirit. None of this would have been possible without our incredible prize donors, and we want to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you. Your contributions helped us raise vital funds that will go directly to supporting survivors.

Once the fundraising wrapped up, the night was very much not over. Guests mingled, danced and enjoyed some truly fantastic live music in an atmosphere that felt every bit as special as the occasion deserved.

A special thank you to Sophie and Serrano Media

This was our first ever event at this scale, and we could not have navigated it without the incredible support of Sophie Allen from Serrano Media, who walked alongside us throughout the entire planning process. Your hard work, expertise and dedication made an enormous difference. Thank you from all of us at SARAC.

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors

Each of these organisations played a meaningful role in making the Pearl Ball possible.

Branston Golf & Country Club
Venue Sponsor

Serrano Media
Design & Marketing Sponsor

Reflex Print
Print Sponsor

Astle Paterson
Welcome Drinks Sponsor

Cosy Direct
Staff Table Sponsor

Burton & District Chamber of Commerce
Partner

Rushton Hickman Limited
Changed a Life

M-Piric
Changed a Life

Bickford Truck Hire Ltd
Changed a Life

Midland Fire Security Services Limited
Changed a Life

A note on our “Changed a Life” sponsors: four incredible businesses chose our Change a Life package, meaning an individual will be fully funded for vital 1:1 support sessions, receiving the specialist help they need to develop effective coping mechanisms and continue their healing journey long-term. We are deeply, profoundly grateful for this.

The talented team behind the evening

An event like this takes many hands, and we had the very best.

Richard Lloyd
Compere

Eddie Young
Magician

Ali Goodall
Musician

Matt Kelly
DJ

Alex Cantrill-Jones
Photographer

Dan Dennis, Video Formula
Videographer

Bottomless Booths
Photo Booth

Kirstyz Kraftz
Centrepiece Provider

Emerald Occasions Events Decor
Event Decor

The staff had the most wonderful time and it was truly special to see them take a well-deserved moment to step back, breathe and celebrate the work they do every single day for our community. We are overwhelmed by the level of support shown by our sponsors, donors and attendees.

Every contribution, whether a bid at the auction, a raffle ticket, a sponsored package or simply your presence in the room, will make a meaningful difference to the work SARAC does. We are so deeply grateful to have such an extraordinary community behind us.