Coming together to raise 10k for Soul Kitchen Chester

12^th February, Soul Kitchen Chester hit 10 years… and we celebrated it properly.

Our little vision came to life in a room full of people who showed up, gave big, and reminded me why community still wins.

With 170+ of us in the room, we managed to raise £10,232 for a charity that helped our Chester community for 10 years.

We kicked off with arrival drinks from Barlounge, CHANCE Clean Cider and Wrexham Lager, and it set the tone straight away. Then we got seated and the night instantly went off-script in the best way. Our host came onto the stage and before they could even get into it, a guest stood up from their seat and started dancing… and suddenly it turned into a full flash mob. It was brilliant, so fun, and such a unique twist for the event.

After that, I got up to thank our sponsors and wider supporters, and then we welcomed Helen Anthony to the stage. She shared a genuinely touching piece on homelessness and the work Soul Kitchen do day in, day out. It was incredible and I am very proud to even have the slightest part in it.

Then the food arrived, and honestly Chester Racecourse and Horseradish knocked it out the park. The service was spot on, the meal was gorgeous, and everything ran like clockwork. After dinner we went straight into Boogie Bingo, which was chaos in the best way. It was £10 to play and people were right up for it, laughing, dancing, shouting, getting involved. Exactly what a charity ball should feel like.

From there we moved into the auction, and people really got behind it. We had some cracking items, including football shirts, an overnight stay at the new Chester Zoo Reserve, a Dandy’s voucher and more, and the room was properly bidding. Then came the raffle, with loads of winners and even more prizes donated by supporters across Chester and beyond, which just shows how many people wanted to get behind this night.

And by the end of it all, we raised £10,232. Just over ten grand in one night, for a charity that genuinely changes lives. That’s what happens when people come together and actually back something that matters.

A huge thank you to Chester Racecourse and Horseradish for the service and hospitality, to Joshua Price from Eagle Meadows and Hozah Parking Limited, to Barlounge, Wrexham Lager and CHANCE Clean Cider for the welcome drinks, and to everyone who donated auction and raffle prizes including Chester Zoo, Downtown in Business, Adam Dandy, Peter Schriewersmann and so many more. Massive appreciation too to our wider supporters FightBack Cyber, Deva Fest Ltd, Cheshire & North Wales Food & Drink Festival, iKO Projects, Gerald Tattum, Milosz Kraskowski, The Chester Townhouse Hotel, Hotel Wrexham, The Hospitality Hero, Cheshire’s Mix 56, and Stems & Strings, plus the many other businesses and individuals who chipped in behind the scenes. A big thanks to ASG for their generosity and the incredible screen they provided too.

Most of all, thank you to every single person who came and filled that room. You didn’t just attend a ball, you helped raise serious money for an incredible cause. Congrats to Soul Kitchen on 10 years, what a team, what a charity, and what a night. Let’s keep showing up for the people who need it most.