Local businesspeople from across Kirklees and Calderdale have together raised a fantastic £32,446 through a Christmas lunch in aid of local children’s charities – a record-breaking amount contributing to the £100,000 KACCL has raised over the last four years.
The fourth annual Kirklees & Calderdale Annual Christmas Lunch (KACCL) was held on Thursday 5 December at the Cedar Court Hotel in Huddersfield in aid of Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice and the Orange Box Choir (part of Square Chapel Arts Centre community outreach programme.)
Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice supports local children and families with life-limiting conditions across Kirklees, Calderdale, Wakefield and Manchester. The Orange Box Choir in association with Square Chapel Arts Centre in Halifax, meanwhile, aims to bring together the schools and services across Calderdale, providing a platform for members to grow in confidence by expressing their musical talent in a safe place.
The lunch, sponsored by Huddersfield’s Crowther Chartered Accountants, was attended by 305 people from across the local business community and kicked off with a drinks reception followed by a spectacular three-course meal and charity auction.
Attendees also enjoyed an inspiring performance by the Orange Box Choir, featuring additional-needs singer Annabelle Riley. Supported by donations from KACCL, Annabelle has been able to flourish as a performer since she made her stage debut at last year’s event.
Annabelle lives with several conditions and requires full-time support. Her performance brought tears to the eyes of the whole audience when she performed a truly moving and symbolic duet with her mother Caroline.
The KACCL organising committee represents figures from local businesses across the region, which includes JR Group UK Ltd, Chadwick Lawrence, Stafflex, Faith PR, Brug Consultancy, Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, Cedar Court Hotels, Hellomint, Eastwood & Partners, the Orange Box Choir in association with Square Chapel Arts Centre and headline sponsors Crowther Chartered Accountants.
Steve Crowther, chair of KACCL 2019, said: “Once again the lunch has been a fantastic success, it is a credit to the local business communities to have been able to raise such an astounding amount for both our chosen charities.
“On behalf of the KACCL committee, I’d like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who attended, including the many local businesses who generously provided their services, donated raffle and auction prizes and raised funds for these incredible causes. Every donation makes such a huge difference to each charity to support young people and families in our local areas.
“It was fabulous to have Annabelle Riley and the Orange Box Choir perform once again; it is a real testament to the good work and support the donations from the event can provide.”
Jamie Eagleton, Arts Outreach Officer at the Orange Box Centre, added: “Square Chapel and the Orange Box Choir who reside here are incredibly grateful for the continued support from KACCL and the local businesses that enable us to support and nurture young people within the area.
“It is not the donations alone that help us to continue the work that we do, it is the ongoing support with raising awareness around who we are and what we do that really goes a long way.”
