25 and 4 – Two Reasons to Book a Table for the White Hat Ball 2019

Posted on October 15, 2018

It’s 15 weeks to go to the next White Hat Ball, which will be on Friday 25^th January at the Lancaster London Hotel, Lancaster Gate, London. It promises to be a great night. The White Hat Ball organising committee and our friends at NPSCC ChildLine have been working tirelessly to make sure it is. But it’s about now that I start to worry.

I don’t know about you, but whenever I’ve hosted any sort of party there comes a time when I start to worry about whether anyone will actually turn up. It’s not until people do that I’m able to finally relax. Of course the White Hat Ball is much grander and more complex, serving only to increase my anxiety. We have tables and sponsorship packages to sell, prizes to secure, etc, etc. Recently I was asked as the current Chair of the Committee to assist in choosing dishes from the hotel menu ahead of sampling and finally deciding what our 650 plus guests will eventually eat on the night. It’s a responsibility, and a worry, that I’d never quite thought of before, despite being on the Committee for some 10 years or so. It has also put a bizarre image in my mind that I’ll be part of a some sort of Master Chef  scene, tasting and appraising the creations of a team of top hotel chefs. Yes me, from a family of miners one of whom took a packed lunch, (actually called dinner, the word ‘lunch’ doesn’t exist where I come from) down the pit for his entire working life (close to 40 years) that only ever comprised of a cheese and pickle sandwich and a flask of tea! Absolutely true.

Anyway, it’s now that we need your help. I ask that you take a moment to consider supporting the White Hat Ball and to reduce my anxiety! There are lots of ways you can do this. Obviously you can buy a ticket, better still a table. There are a number of sponsorship packages available that will promote your brand to an audience of senior, decision making risk and security professionals, and we are always seeking prizes that we can auction on the night.

As always, we will kick the evening off with a champagne reception followed by a sumptuous three course dinner and along the way they’ll be fun and games, and a smattering of celebrity ‘star dust’. Live music and dancing will continue into the early hours, so come along, let your hair down and have some good honest fun!  And remember, every single penny we raise goes directly to NSPCC ChildLine.

For more information and to book your tickets, please contact Charlotte Bignell on 020 3772 9059 or charlotte.bignell@nspcc.org.uk Visit the White Hat website for more information. Follow us on Twitter for event updates and request to join the LinkedIn group to be part of the community. And you can always reach out to me directly either via linked in or via my work email address – mark.logsdon@prudential.co.uk

But why does it matter, why am I and my fellow committee members so passionate about the White Hat Ball and raising money for NSPCC ChildLine? Well, this is where the numbers 25 and 4 come in.

On average, every 25 seconds a desperate child calls ChildLine seeking help. Every 25 seconds! Think about it. I would say that by the time you’ve read this blog 3, possibly 4 children have rung ChildLine. Put another way that’s close to 3500 calls a day. It’s a sobering thought. To answer each of those calls it costs approximately £4. It’s not much is it? It’s less than the cost of a cheese and pickle sandwich and a cup of tea, less than a G&T at the end of a long day. It’s why every penny we raise is so important and why I find my anxiety growing.

So please, come and join us at the White Hat Ball. I promise you’ll enjoy it and go home safe in the knowledge that your enjoyment has ensured no child goes unheard, every call gets answered and vulnerable children get support in their moment of need.

Mark