THE most glamorous night of the year is back as Martin House Children’s Hospice’s Glitter Ball returns this May.

The black-tie ball, sponsored by HARIBO, takes place on Friday, May 5, from 7pm at Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate, and will be hosted by Nick Hancock, from Your Harrogate Radio.

Beckie Wynne, Director of Income Generation said: “We’re delighted the Martin House Glitter Ball is returning to the gorgeous Rudding Park this year, and we can’t wait to welcome our guests back for a night of fine dining and entertainment”.

The event includes an elegant champagne reception, three-course dinner, live and online auctions with top prizes on offer, raffles, games, live music and dancing.

Beckie continues: “The Glitter Ball is our biggest single fundraising event of the year – last year the ball raised £175,000 for the hospice, and we hope this year’s event will be even more successful.

“The free specialist care we give to families is needed now more than ever. By joining us at the Glitter Ball, not only are you guaranteed a fantastic, glamorous night out, but you are also helping us to keep caring for families when they need us most”.

All the money raised will go to support Martin House, which provides free care for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions from across West, North and East Yorkshire, as well as supporting bereaved families.

Tickets are on sale now and cost £120 each, with tables of up to 12 people available. Find out more and book your tickets at www.martinhouse.org.uk/GlitterBall.

Martin House has been providing free family-led care and support for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions for 35 years (life-limiting means the child or young person is not expected to live beyond young adulthood).

Every year they support over 425 children and young people, and their families, plus more than 150 bereaved families across West, North and East Yorkshire, at our hospice, in hospitals and in families’ own homes.

Services include respite stays, symptom control, emergency care, community care and end of life care.

Bereavement support is offered to families, often for two to three years after their child’s death. They also offer bereavement support to families whose child had a life-limiting condition but did not have the opportunity to use the hospice, or following a sudden death.

Martin House hosts one of only three specialist training places in the UK for consultants in paediatric palliative medicine, alongside placements in London (Great Ormond Street Hospital) and Cardiff.

There is no cost to any of the families using the services. It costs nearly £9 million a year to provide this care, the majority of which comes from voluntary donations and fundraising.