Ladies Lunch raises £17,500 to support children this winter

On Friday 22 September, we were joined by over a hundred Yorkshire ladies for an afternoon of fabulous food, fizz, and most importantly, fundraising.

Hosted at Wakefield’s Capri at the Vine, the Yorkshire Ladies Lunch 2023 was an opportunity for local ladies to catch up with friends and family and network with new faces all while raising an amazing £17,500 to support some of our region’s most disadvantaged children.

While fun and laughter were certainly on the menu, the event also served as a reminder that not everyone in our region is so fortunate, bringing home the reality that a third of Yorkshire’s children are living in poverty.

CEO of Yorkshire Children’s Charity, Charlotte Farrington, spoke passionately about just why it’s so important that we look out for local families as the cold weather comes.

“As mums and grandparents yourselves, many of you will, I’m sure, shudder when you hear the words ’back to school’. Even for those of us more fortunate, September can feel particularly expensive.

“This Autumn term, our families are feeling that ten-fold. I think it’s really important to say that ‘back to school’ can mean quite literally taping up broken and worn-out school shoes as a means to avoid buying new ones, or alternatively it can mean not sending your children to school at all. We work with schools who see attendance rates drop by 60% when it rains, as parents are unable to get their children to school warm and dry.”

Every penny raised at the event will go towards winter essentials such as school shoes and coats for local children whose families are struggling this winter, and we’re incredibly grateful for the generosity of our guests.

We were delighted to welcome Helen Fielding, Yorkshire-born author and creator of Bridget Jones, as our guest speaker. Helen was warm, funny and full of heart as she shared stories from her own school days in Wakefield and entertained guests with a behind-the-scenes insight into how she created one of female fiction’s most beloved characters. Helen also shared her personal reflections on our work at Yorkshire Children’s Charity as we welcomed her as a new Ambassador to the Charity, and we look forward to continuing to work together to make things better for children across our region.

Thank you to everyone who made the event such a success, including our main event sponsor, IDEAS That Work, our amazing event committee, the Year 6 boys at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School for their fantastic raffle ticket sales, Capri at the Vine for the excellent food and service, and to Furnish & Fettle, H2K, Breathe Yorkshire and Slingsby Gin for the gift bags and raffle prizes.

Finally, thank you to everybody who bought a ticket and gave so generously. Your support will make such a difference to children across Yorkshire this winter.

Couldn’t make it to the Ladies Lunch? You can still make a donation towards our winter appeal and help keep a child warm, dry and safe as the weather gets colder.