Fashion show helps raise almost £5,000 for Hartlepool's Alice House Hospice

Local law firm Tilly Bailey and Irvine, which has offices in Hartlepool, Wynyard and Stockton raised £5,000 for Alice House Hospice by organising an afternoon tea and fashion show.

It was held at Hardwicke Hall Manor near Blackhall Colliery and was a sell-out welcoming over 100 guests,

Tilly Bailey & Irvine and Hartlepool accountants Waltons Clark Whitehill have sponsored the event now for four years in a row.

Carolyn Tilly, Tilly Bailey & Irvine managing partner said: “Thank you to everyone for joining us once again for the fourth year of our Afternoon Tea, which has now become a tradition for us to support the amazing work done by Alice House Hospice.

“It’s something we will continue with to help make a difference across the North East.”

Guests from the likes of EDF Energy, Victoria House, Seymour Civil, Begbies Traynor and more joined us for the afternoon tea and a fashion show, the latter arranged by Helen Laverick from Eden Boutique. Additional funds were raised by stalls and a raffle, with the final amount almost reaching £5,000.

Hospice staff expressed their gratitude and said the money raised will make difference for local patients and families.

Carol Sennett, a corporate fundraiser at Alice House, in Wells Avenue, said: “We were so pleased to work with Tilly Bailey and Irvine and Waltons Clark Whitehill on our fourth and biggest collaboration to date.

“It was lovely to welcome so many supporters along to the day and hope that everyone had a lovely time.

“Thanks to all who supported, as well as Helen Laverick from Eden Boutique, all of the models and of course Mark and his team at Hardwicke Hall for such great hospitality.

“All of the proceeds from the event will be used to fund hospice care and support local patients and families.

“Hopefully we’ll see you all again next year.”

The achievement comes only weeks after the law firm helped to raise a combined £1,758 for Alzheimer’s Research UK when staff took to the streets to run over 2,300km combined for the #RunningDownDementia cause in August.

Alice House provides specialist care to hundreds of adults from Hartlepool and East Durham with life-limiting illnesses every year.

Each patient and their family or carers receive tailor-made packages of care depending on their needs.

But from the £3.2million the hospice needs to pay for its services, £2.7m must be raised through the community and fundraising activities, like the afternoon tea and fashion show.