Manchester Kids, a Manchester charity that supports local children with serious illnesses or disabilities and those who have suffered poverty, abuse, neglect or distress, will benefit to the tune of almost £4,000 following a successful charity dinner staged by Packaging Today at the city’s Midland Hotel on November 30.
Now in its 50th year, the Northern Packaging Dinner was first held in Manchester in 1949, and has since established itself as a popular annual regional packaging industry event and important charity fund-raiser. This year’s dinner raised £3,885, to be used to give inner city children, many of whom have never enjoyed such an experience, an “educational holiday” in North Wales.
Alongside a delicious dinner, the 150-strong audience at the 2006 Northern Packaging Dinner enjoyed a lively performance of soul classics by cabaret act the American Four Tops, while a charity auction saw diners bid for a wealth of exciting experiences. Up for grabs were a football shirt signed by soccer legend George Best, two tickets to one of pop diva Kylie Minogue’s sell-out concerts in Manchester next year, a further pair to see Status Quo in the run-up to Christmas, an all-expenses paid return rail trip and night away at a five-star hotel in London including a “flight” on the London Eye, a “meet and greet” with boxer and Manchester Kids patron Ricky Hatton, signed artwork from another patron, former boy band Blue member Simon Webbe, and six tickets to spend the day as a falconer.
Meanwhile a “secret bid” saw tables invited to fill an envelope with as much money as members could give – the prize being a private suite at The BBC Blue Planet Live television programme on December 28. Guests also chanced their luck at a casino table.
Keeping the evening running smoothly and acting as auctioneer was toastmaster Graham Wilkes, whose career has seen him has preside over occasions ranging from entertaining The Queen to acting as Master of Ceremonies for the British Boxing Board of Control.
Kindly sponsoring the Dinner this year were Key Recruitment and Gulf Pack.