Ashley B Charity Ball raises over £19,000 for Willow Wood Hospice

More than 200 guests dressed to impress for an emotional and uplifting evening at The Premier Suite and Lounge in Audenshaw, as family, friends and supporters gathered to honour the memory of Ashley Butterworth.

The Ashley B Charity Ball, organised by Bryan Butterworth, John Havern and the team at Premier Events and Memorabilia, raised an incredible £19,542.65 for Willow Wood Hospice – with the final total still expected to rise.

The glittering event, held on January 24 at the Corporation Road venue, paid tribute to Ashley, who received end-of-life care at the Hospice in Ashton-under-Lyne. For his dad Bryan, the evening was not only a celebration of his son’s life, but also a heartfelt thank you.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved, as well as those who donated and attended the ball,” he said. “With the help and generosity of so many people, we raised £19,542.65.”

“Our aim was to thank Willow Wood Hospice for the care they gave to my son Ashley in his final days with us. They are amazing in the way they cared for him and us as a family, so we decided we are going to raise awareness and as much money as we could to help the Hospice.

“I want to thank all of our sponsors for the event. A massive thank you to Peter Harrop, whose donated of Lake District weekend raised us an incredible amount, to Lee at Millers Flooring who after winning the weekend put it back in for auction, and to Gerald and Judith Thompson who bought it for £3,700 and then gave I back so we could raffle it again. I could never thank you all enough. A massive thank you to John Havern – without him, none of this could have happened.”

The entertainment ensured the night was filled with energy as well as motion. Guests enjoyed performances from R&B soulman Kevon Bennett, Simply Red tribute act Andy Lee, and magician Rob Bardsley, who kept tables captivated throughout the evening.

A raffle and auction featuring bespoke framed memorabilia from footballers, boxing stars and rugby players, alongside iconic bands including Oasis and The Stone Roses, proved hugely popular. One standout prize, a three-night stay at a luxury house in the Lake District, alone generated more than £7,700 thanks to an extraordinary chain of generosity from supporters determined to boost the fundraising total.

Staff from Willow Wood Hospice were in attendance on the night and were met with a standing ovation from the packed venue.

Tara Farren, Community and Events Fundraiser at Willow Wood Hospice said: “It was a really moving evening and a true testament to the love people have for Ashley and the appreciation they have for the Hospice. The atmosphere in the room was amazing, and to see over 200 people come together to raise such a fantastic amount was truly incredible. We are so grateful to Bryan, John and everyone involved.

“We rely on the generosity of our community to raise around three quarters of our annual running costs, so support like this really does make a huge difference to ensure we are here to provide specialist care to anyone in Tameside and Glossop who needs it, now and for generations to come.”

Following the success of the event, Bryan now hopes the Ashley B Charity Ball will become an annual fixture.