For the first time since before the Covid pandemic, businesses and the community donned their party frocks and black ties to attend the Trust House Lancashire spring ball at Stanley House Hotel & Spa.

Trust House Lancashire is a little known sexual violence and abuse charity with satellite safe spaces across the county including in Burnley, Blackburn, Preston, Chorley and Blackpool.

The charity makes a big difference to the people they support and last year they helped more than 1,200 individuals aged from just four-years-old. 

This year, the charity is marking its 10th anniversary of providing specialist support across Lancashire to individuals affected by any kind of sexual violence or abuse, to move through and beyond their experience. 

Those who had been helped shared her experience about how Trust House has supported them.

The sell-out event, sponsored by River Technologies Ltd and Pink Fizz Social raised a tremendous £16,500 that will go towards helping others like Marianne, as sadly, the number of people who need support is increasing every year.

Guests were entertained by international Opera singer, Sean Ruane, Master of Ceremonies Andy Ashworth and five-piece band, A Few Good Men.

Partnership manager Sharon Plunkett said: “We are so grateful to everyone who supported the event, whether they donated a prize, sponsored, attended or helped out.

“Each and every one played a huge part in helping us to raise this fantastic amount.

“New Cards on the Block donated a personally illustrated table plan, Kie Events by Kala sponsored the gorgeous table decorations, and a number of businesses, restaurants and golf clubs donated prizes that included a half day on a yacht on Lake Windermere, driven to lunch at Grantley Manor in a Ferrari, Peter Kay and Harry Styles tickets, wine tasting in your own home, signed Man United shirt plus much, much more."

She described the whole  night as a success and said listening to the story of those who had been helped had a huge impact "which is still being talked about.”

For more information about Trust House Lancashire, visit www.trusthouselancs.org or follow them on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.