Carl Fogarty (right) at the NSPCC Childline Ball Manchester. Photo by Sasha Ray

Hundreds gathered to dance the night away at the North West Childline Ball – where the theme of the night was Glamour of Manchester – and they raised enough to train 121 Childline Counsellors!

Celebrities including Carl Fogarty MBE, former Arsenal footballer Kevin Campbell, former Joy Division & New Order bassist Peter Hook, Ms Manchester herself Rowetta and Manchester Street poet Argh KiD, joined hundreds of guests at the Midland Hotel in Manchester for Childline’s biggest fundraiser in the North West.

The event was opened by Andy Lord, lead sponsor of Code Nation, and compered by Key 2 Radio’s Darren Proctor.

Andy Lord, CEO of Code Nation, said:

We were honoured to be part of an occasion so special. The NSPCC and Childline do such wonderful work in the North West and beyond, and we are proud to support this very deserving charity.”

Guests at the event also heard from Sir Howard Bernstein, former chief executive of Manchester City Council, and Mathew Bennett, who has completed some amazing fundraising challenges for the NSPCC, including trekking the Gobi desert and rowing the Atlantic ocean as part of a five man team.

Peter Hook at the NSPCC Childline Ball Manchester. Photo by Sasha Ray

Rachel Walker, NSPCC senior development manager said:

“We are so thankful for all the support we have received from local businesses and the incredible generosity of people who helped us raise so much. We couldn’t have put this event on without the generosity of our headline sponsor; Code Nation as well as our other sponsors; Progress to Excellence, XL Catlin & DLA Piper.”

The Glamour of Manchester was truly on display as one of the city’s most famous daughters, Rowetta, took to the stage with the Manchester Camerata. She truly wowed the crowd performing a selection of classic hits followed by XS Manchester DJ Clint Boon, who was spinning the decks long into the night.

Since it was launched in 1986 by Dame Esther Rantzen, Childline has helped more than 4 million children across the UK. 

The NSPCC’s Are you there? campaign is urging the Government to increase its funding for Childline so that every child has a place to turn to.

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