AROUND 120 friends and supporters of the Skipton based Principle Trust Children’s charity attended its annual fundraising ball.

Held once again at The Coniston Hotel, Coniston Cold, the event featured a lavish dinner, an auction of donated goods, including a signed Manchester United football, and a raffle, which together raised an impressive £13,500 for the charity, which sends disadvantaged children and their families on holidays to its log cabins in the country, and by the seaside.

Louise Rhodes, marketing and events manager for the trust, said it had been a fantastic evening with a great deal of support from businesses across the area.

Representatives of some of the businesses also attended, such as Barclays, R &B Mechanical and Electrical; Rigest Trading, and Sutcliffe’s Construction, along with trust founder, Mike Davies and his family, fellow trustees, committee members and people who work for the trust.

All the stops are pulled out for the annual ball, which is the charity’s main fundraiser of the year. Raffle prizes included tickets to Thornton Hall Park Farm visitor attraction at Thornton-in-Craven; to Settle Victoria Hall; to Ilkley Tennis Club, and passes to Skipton Castle.

There were also vouchers and gifts given by Bizzie Lizzies in Skipton; Ilkley Cinema, Elsworth Kitchen, Keelham Farm Shop, Greenholme Carpets, Sentient UK and Morrisons Supermarket.

A live auction, with Mike Davison at the helm, was a great success with a signed team Manchester United football donated by the Manchester United Foundation raising the top amount of £500.

Farnell Land Rover and Jaguar donated a Land Rover Defender Transformer that caused a storm in the room and raised another £200. And Dales Gin Distillery J.P. Adlam donated a bottle of its hand bottled gin and a day at its distillery, offering a chance to make a bottle of gin, raising £300 for the charity.

In addition, guests were treated to canapes and a three course meal at The Coniston’s Bannister suite.

Ms Rhodes said the £13,500 raised on the night will go towards the charity’s current holiday homes, allowing at least another 52 children and their families, or carers, being able to enjoy a holiday courtesy of the trust.

The trust has currently set itself a target of raising £120,000 in its Log Cabin appeal to buy a fifth holiday home so it can offer breaks to more children in Yorkshire.

It says, recent involvement with other charities such as Forget Me Not Hospice and Martins House Hospice has highlighted the need for more holidays in adapted accommodation.

The trust provides free respite and holiday breaks to underprivileged, disadvantaged and disabled children from across Yorkshire . It needs to raise £44,000 every year to keep and maintain its three holiday homes at Haven park in Blackpool and its adapted log cabin at Ribblesdale Park, near Clitheroe.

Ms Rhodes said: “We are always looking for volunteers to help us spread the word about the work we do and to join us on our fundraising events. If anyone would like to help out please get in touch.”

On Saturday (May 4). the trust will benefit from the first race at Skipton Races. The first race of the day will be for amateurs, with all proceeds going to the trust. Skipton Races takes place at Heslaker Farm , off the A59 between Skipton and Broughton. Gates open at 11am with the Principle Trust race due to take place at 1pm. Tickets cost £10 for adults and free for children under 16 years old.