St Clare Hospice’s first-ever Shimmer Ball raised more than £18,000 for the Hastingwood charity.
Over 100 guests enjoyed fine dining and entertainment from The Muggabees and Ben’s Magic at Down Hall in Hatfield Heath.
There was also a live and silent auction with lots including, sporting memorabilia, vintage wines and weekend breaks on offer.
Samantha Taylor, a clinical nurse specialist, was the guest speaker and told revellers: “When people ask me what I do for a living and I tell them that I am a community palliative care nurse with St Clare Hospice, quite often I get a response such as ‘I don’t know how to you do that job, isn’t it sad all the time?’.
“Although I understand this response, and of course, at times it is incredibly sad, my days are often filled with joy, hope, and witnessing the very best of love. It is so hard to encapsulate everything we do at St Clare Hospice.
“I feel I am so lucky and privileged that I get to meet so many amazing and inspirational people everyday, from all different walks of life, at different stages of their journey. The whole ethos of St Clare is that if it is important to you, it’s important to us.
“I feel very privileged to work for an organisation that will try its hardest to say ‘yes’. We strive to individualise the care we provide for our patients, as we know that one size does not usually fit all.’
Organiser Katy Woodgate said: “Our Shimmer Ball was a hit with over £18,000 raised on the night which could pay for our community palliative care team for a week.
“It would cover the cost of the team to visit patients and their families at home and advise them on how to manage complex symptoms themselves.”