Nailcote Hall’s Charity Ball raises £12,500
for local children

At what can best be described as ‘a fabulous party’ the Charity Ball with the Stars held at the Nailcote Hall hotel raised a record £12,500 for the ‘Gentlemen’s Night Out’ – a strictly non profit organisation formed by local business people dedicated to helping children in need.

There can be no mistaking that the look-alike stars added some real Hollywood glamour to the occasion. A truly remarkable ‘Charlie Chaplin’ – aka Lawrence Simmons – looked as if he had stepped straight out of the silent screen to be with over 200 guests at the party. And a stunning Susie Kennedy, as Marilyn Monroe, melted at least one lucky guest – and the rest of the audience – with her sensual rendition of the famous ‘Happy Birthday’ song.

Meanwhile the lightening cartoonist Picasso Griffiths moved amongst the guests creating instant caricatures of the party goers – whilst the famous ‘close-up’ magician Chris Priest drew gasp of astonishment from the tables as chosen cards appeared to levitate from the pack.

During the superb 4 course meal the electric strings of Pete Hartley’s violin whose rendition of Zorba the Greek had the audience on its feet for an impromptu dance – but unfortunately all the smart looking dinner plates remained in tact. But the main musical entertainment on the night was provided by one of Nailcote’s favourite party bands ‘Smackee’ performing many of the best known numbers from the West End shows – including The Deadwood Stage from Calamity Jane and a stunning tribute to ABBA to top off an evening of splendid entertainment.

In fact the audience was in the mood to contribute generously to the fundraising with an auction conducted by Nailcote’s owner Rick Cressman whish saw bids of well over £1,000 for many items including overnight breaks at top London hotels with front row seats for the new ‘Sound of Music’ and ‘Wicked’ shows. Some of the pictures also much in demand were signed photos of the stars plus limited edition prints and sporting memorabilia.

But it was a £1,300 FOPE diamond and gold necklace that literally had the audience on their feet with a game of ‘Higher or Lower’ where – as in the TV game show Play Your Cards Right – guests had to decide, for example, whether Charlie Chaplin’s height was ‘higher or lower’ than 5’4”. Giving the correct answer – in this case ‘higher’ as he was 5’5” – meant that guests giving the wrong answer were eliminated until the final guest was left standing and thus won the valuable necklace.

So it was an evening of great enjoyment for the guests – and also an occasion that will provide much needed help for underprivileged children throughout the Midlands. As Arnie Kaplan of ‘The Gentlemen’s Night Out’ charity remarked, “ Yet again ‘The Gentlemen’s Night Out’ is indebted to Rick Cressman, all table sponsors, donors and guests for their generosity in helping ‘Make a Difference’.”