The main sponsor for the event which was attended by around 300 guests and took place on Friday July 4, was offshore engineering and fabrication contractor Heerema Hartlepool Ltd, while Wynyard Park provided the venue – its exclusive function room suite The Wynyard Rooms – and sponsored the reception drinks. Both companies are long-standing supporters of the Hospice as members of its Guild of Patrons.  Wynyard Park Chief Executive Chris Musgrave also paid the Hospice’s catering bill on the night, a sum of just over £5,000.

The event was supported by staff from Barclays and Santander who volunteered on the evening, and both companies agreed to match-fund the income generated by the raffle and auction. The Hospice was also delighted to recruit a new patron on the night in David Garside of NES Security.

Greg Hildreth, Corporate Events Fundraiser at the Hospice, said: “The dinner was an amazing night which exceeded all of our expectations and smashed all previous records for an event of this kind.  I’d like to convey our most sincere thanks to Heerema Hartlepool and Wynyard Park – without their support the event simply would not have been possible. Huge thanks must also go to Chris Musgrave for his generosity.  The list of organisations and individuals who contributed to the overall success of the event is simply too long to mention here, but we want it to be known that we appreciate every single person’s contribution.  The money raised will play a key role in helping us to ensure the continuation of the range of vital services that we provide to the local communities of Hartlepool and East Durham.”

Sandra Groom, HR Manager at Heerema, said: “We are overwhelmed by this fundraising triumph and are delighted to have played such a key role in its success. On behalf of everyone at Heerema Hartlepool, we would like to thank all of our suppliers and contractors for their generosity and support. The Hospice is a charity which we hold in high regard and we are all too happy to help secure its future.”

Matt Johnson, Development Director at Wynyard Park – a 700-acre business park that is home to around 70 companies supporting some 2,000 jobs, said: “To raise almost £30,000 in just one evening is an amazing achievement and we are proud to have supported the event. Hartlepool & District Hospice is a very deserving cause which is close to our hearts and we would like to pass on our thanks to everyone – both organisations and individuals – who contributed to the success of the evening.