Hollywood Ball raises over 100K for Mencap

Thursday 24 September 2009

London's Dorchester Hotel was transformed into Tinseltown last night (23 September) for a Hollywood Ball in aid of learning disability charity Mencap.

Investigative journalist and star of ITV hit show ‘Dancing on Ice' Donal MacIntyre -  who is also an ambassador for Mencap - joined 400 other guests at this year's star-studded event which raised more than £100,000 for a new facility for people with a learning disability.

Guests were treated to a technicolour night of movie musical glamour and 1930s decadence with a top class 15-piece band, troupe of dancing girls and West End performers. 

Hosted by Donal MacIntyre, guests also tried their luck at silent auctions, raising £76,169 for Mencap. The money will go towards a new multi-sensory room in Halcyon House, Devon, for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities.

Donal MacIntyre said: "Multi-sensory rooms make a real difference to the quality of life of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. I'm delighted to play a part in helping Mencap raise money for such an exciting and worthwhile project."

Ciara Evans a spokeswoman for Mencap who has a learning disability herself said:  "Our thanks go to the Mencap Special Events Committee for organising an amazing night and to Thames River Capital for sponsoring the ball. The money raised from the event will go towards the building of a multi-sensory room in Plymouth that will provide a space for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities to relax and enjoy themselves."

The ball was sponsored by fund management company, Thames River Capital.

Ends

For media enquiries, please contact the Mencap media team, 020 7696 5414, or

07770 656659 (out-of-hours), press.office@mencap.org.uk

Notes to Picture Editors

High resolution images of the event, including photographs of Donal MacIntyre, are available on request.

Notes to Editors

Mencap

• Mencap works with people with a learning disability and their families and carers.
• 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability.
• A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops before, during or shortly after birth. It is always lifelong.
• Learning disability affects someone's intellectual and social development all their life. People with a learning disability find it harder than others to learn, understand and communicate.
• People with a learning disability don't get an equal chance in life. Mencap fights to change laws and services and to provide better access to education, employment and leisure facilities, supporting thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.
• It is not a mental illness and should not be confused with mental health issues. It is not dyslexia or Asperger's syndrome.
• It used to be called mental handicap but we don't use this term anymore because most people with a learning disability find it offensive.
• For information about learning disability issues please call the Learning Disability Helpline (England) on 0808 808 1111 or visit www.mencap.org.uk
• For online press information, go to

Profound and multiple learning disabilities

• Children and adults with profound and multiple learning disabilities have more than one disability, the most significant of which is a profound learning disability. All people who have profound and multiple learning disabilities will have great difficulty communicating and need high levels of support with most aspects of daily life.

Multi-sensory room

• All proceeds from the ball will go towards building a multi-sensory room in Halcyon House, Plymouth, Devon, for people with Profound and multiple learning disabilities. People with profound and multiple learning disabilities are often excluded because of their complex needs and will be able to use the room in safety and comfort. Research has shown that multi-sensory rooms can rake a real difference to the quality of life for someone with multiple learning disabilities.
• Multi-sensory rooms are full of lights, textures, sound and smells which help people to relax and have been shown to focus attention and help to eliminate challenging behaviour which can limit the residents' ability to access the local community. This room will include projectors, soft cushions, music, sensory and moving apparatus to create a calm and relaxing environment. It will be a unique experience and will broaden horizons, increase awareness of surroundings and enable people with PMLD to interact and enjoy themselves.

Thames River Capital

• Thames River Capital LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.
• Thames River Capital was established in 1998.  Thames River Capital LLP together with its affiliates Nevsky Capital LLP and Thames River Multi-Capital LLP, manages £7.1billion / US$11.8 billion, with 163 staff including 90 investment professionals and 26 in sales and marketing as at 31 August 2009.
• Thames River Capital and its affiliates manage a range of multi-manager funds, property funds, UCITS III funds, and long / short funds investing in equities (Global, Emerging Market, European and UK), and bonds (Global Credit and OECD Sovereign).
• www.thamesriver.co.uk