The Great Mancunian Ball, hosted by husband-and-wife Gary and Emma Neville raised £565,980 for the St Ann’s Hospice Build it Together Appeal. All funds raised by the event will go towards the construction of a new hospice in Heald Green, replacing the old site which is over 150 years old. 

The ball, which was held at Aviva Studios, the iconic home of Factory International, was designed and planned by industry-leading events company Taylor Lynn Corporation (TLC) with support from Truth Creative and the team at St Ann’s Hospice. The venue was transformed to include an international 18-piece party band, The Swan Band, and a scheme of state-of-the-art intelligent lighting. 

The night kicked off with a live recording of the award-winning The Overlap presents Stick to Football podcast featuring Gary Neville, Roy Keane, Ian Wright, Jill Scott, and Jamie Carragher discussing all things football and Manchester. 

Guests were then treated to an exquisite three-course menu curated by Hessian Fine Dining. The evening included presenter Sally Lindsay and St Ann’s Hospice Ambassador, Lee Boardman coming to the stage to share their personal stories of the care their families received at St Ann’s Hospice.   

An auction during the night featured items such as a chance to play five-a-side football against the cast of Stick to Football, the use of private box at Old Trafford donated by Noel McKee, and dinner for ten with Take That legend Howard Donald.  

Host, Gary Neville said, “We are so proud to be supporting St Ann’s Hospice by hosting The Great Mancunian Ball. It was an amazing event and a huge success for fundraising for the new hospice. We all had a brilliant event, but most importantly we were able to help this fabulous charity to make their new hospice a reality. 

“Emma and I have been lucky enough to meet the patients and staff at the hospice and every time we visit, we are blown away by the care and support. But you can see the building they are in now is getting tired and not working for them.  

“They deserve so much more, and they need a state-of-the-art hospice. They shouldn’t be making do when they are caring for these patients and their loved ones who are facing the most challenging time of their lives.” 

Chief Executive of St Ann’s Hospice, Rachel McMillan thanked everyone who bought tickets to The Overlap Live Stick to Football, attended the Great Mancunian Ball, and or donated on the night. 

“The whole event has been incredible and Gary and Emma, Liz Taylor, and everyone else who has supported us to bring this ball to life, are nothing short of sensational. For them to help us raise an astonishing £565,980 for the new hospice is truly extraordinary. It means the absolute world to us here at St Ann’s and brings us even closer to our fundraising targets to build our new hospice” Rachel said. 

Liz Taylor, founder of Taylor Lynn Corporation (TLC), designed the event and also played a pivotal role in securing sponsorship to support the fundraising efforts for the new hospice. 

“It has been an absolute honour to be part of The Great Mancunian Ball and help bring this extraordinary vision to life. When Gary and Emma approached me, they could have chosen anyone to support them, but they trusted me because of TLC’s reputation for crafting unforgettable and unique events. Naturally, I said yes without hesitation, donating TLC’s services in support of St Ann’s Hospice. 

“We have been overwhelmed by the incredible support from all of our suppliers, who have gone above and beyond, generously donating their time and resources to support St Ann’s Hospice. A special mention must go to Options Great Hire, whose contribution of furniture, linen, crockery, cutlery, glassware, and kitchen equipment saved tens of thousands of pounds. This level of generosity is remarkable, and we extend our deepest thanks to everyone who made this possible,” said Liz. 

Prior to the Great Mancunian Ball, Gary and Emma visited St Ann’s Hospice and took the time to visit patients in the Heald Green inpatient unit. 

“It was so special to visit the hospice and meet some of the patients. To be able to do this just before the ball was a fantastic motivator to raise as much money as we possibly could on the night. It reminded us all of what we are doing this for and the difference it will make to people in Manchester,” Emma said. 

As well as fundraising from special events like The Great Mancunian Ball, St Ann’s Hospice Build it Together public appeal aims to raise £2 million to contribute to the new building. Prior to the Great Mancunian Ball, this appeal had raised nearly £1.5 million and donations of all sizes are welcome, for example £25 will buy a pallet of 25 bricks for the new build or £100 will fund a relaxation room for families and patients to enjoy. Donate at www.sah.org.uk/newhospicedonate