There is a lot today in people's lives that can have a serious negative impact, from losing someone special close to you or suffering in silence from the battles of mental health. It’s important that we talk and raise awareness, one way of doing this is sharing peoples unique stories to assure friends, family, colleagues, whoever may be close to you that someone is trying to make a change. Three truly unique stories sparked 3 colleagues to raise awareness, make change and raise as much money as possible to support the families in need and to fund essential medical research.

We are holding a charity Ball , Rialto reborn, Coventry. The ball is all set to Rock and Roll. Johnny and the zephyrs, Echoes acoustic Band, Silverl lining chorus and Coventry Dancing Feet are supporting.

We have a 2 course meal, supported from Fire and Feast. Please see follow them on facebook and what their Menu s have to offer.

SEE YOU ON THE 8th February for the ball, a night of pure entertainment and 2 course Buffet.

The reasons, for it all happening

Gary = Mind

Gary Steptoe, was a fun, loving gentleman. He always had a smile on his face who had a huge passion for music, attending music festivals when he could! Most importantly Gary, was prepared to sit and listen to anyone suffering.

Gary himself had been suffering in silence to which people had not realised, he had not shared stories of his own pain which led him to taking his own life, leaving friends and family distraught.

Gary would have been incredibly proud of his friends and family raising awareness of that holding hand and also to raise money for incredible charities such as MIND.

Cerys story = Cery’s GiftS

Cerys Price, of Allesley in Coventry, was 23 years old when she died after a long battle with cystic fibrosis (CF) in July.

The life-shortening disease affects more than 10,000 people in the UK and is caused by a faulty gene that controls the movement of salt and water in and out of a body’s cells, so the lungs and digestive system become clogged with mucus, making it hard to breathe and digest food.

The former Woodway Park School pupil was not expected to live beyond her teens and started planning her funeral at just 12 years old.

“Doctors said she wouldn’t live to see double figures, then her teens,” explained her mum Tracy Kenny-Lilley, a 42-year-old carer.

“She outlived all of their predictions. She started planning her funeral when her friends with CF started passing away.”

“She talked about wanting a horse-drawn carriage and what songs she wanted playing.”

“She didn’t want flowers. She said ‘I’m not going to enjoy them’ and they’d be dead not long after her.”

In lieu of flowers, Cerys had requested donations to pay for toys and entertainment for the three children’s wards at University Hospital in Coventry.

She was keen to give something back because since her diagnosis aged five, she spent most of life in children’s wards.

Little Superted’s Story = Zoe’s Place

Ted wasn’t breathing when he was born and was taken straight to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where he was stabilised and spent the next 4 months. Ted had chronic lung disease so went home on permanent oxygen.

At nearly 7 months old after spending a wonderful 3 months at home Ted was diagnosed with a very rare incurable heart condition called Pulmonary Vein Stenosis. This condition causes the veins going to teds heart to narrow and eventually close.

After being diagnosed and only weighing a tiny 7lb Ted went in for his first heart operation to open up his veins. Ted recovered well and spent most of the next month at home making lots of amazing memories. Ted started to gain weight and reached 8lb 11 before he started deteriorating again and went in for his second operation. After this operation Birmingham Children’s Hospital said there was nothing more they could do for Ted so Nat and Kev asked for a second opinion from Great Ormond Street and Ted was accepted for open heart surgery. At 9.5 months old Ted reached 9lb and had open heart surgery on 19th March.

Ted had a long recovery in Intensive care before being transferred back to Birmingham children's hospital.

Only 7 weeks after open heart surgery ted was rushed back into theatre for another operation, 2 weeks later he needed another. Ted didn’t seem to be getting any better. The day before his 1st Birthday Ted went in for his final operation to put a stent into his veins to give him a chance to get home. Because of this ted spent his first birthday on life support and in a coma.

Ted still didn’t improve and was brought home by ambulance on the evening of Thursday 14th June and spent two lovely days at home. Ted passed away in our arms on Saturday 16th June on his dads birthday.

Tuck in your shirts, polish your shoes and get your smoothest moves ready for an evening of extravaganza.

For the best ball of 2019