Speaker’s ball raises the roof for charity

Canary Wharf’s East Wintergarden was packed out for a glamorous evening in support of the Speaker’s charities on November 30.
Tower Hamlets Council’s Speaker Abdul Mukit, MBE, was joined by other borough mayors, councillors, community groups, representatives of the business community for the fun event.. Nearly 300 people attended.
The annual Speaker’s Ball this year had a target of raising £50k.
One of this year’s Speaker’s charities is Tower Hamlets MIND, a community-based mental health charity that delivers support services to people with mental health and emotional issues including counselling, advice, information, one to one support and group work.
The other charity is St Hilda’s Surjamuki Disabled Youth Project which works with young people in the community with learning and physical disabilities.
The project offers regular sessional activities as well as activities including sports programmes, cooking sessions promoting self-sufficiency and cinema trips.
Following speeches and presentations from the charities, a raffle and auction was held, as well as a disco at the end of the night.
Entertainment was provided by the THAMES (Tower Hamlets Arts and Music Education Service) Big Band and Bolly Flex, an international dance production company founded by local resident Naz Choudhury.
The Speaker’s Charity Appeal and ball raises thousands of pounds for charity, and every year brings business and local communities together for a good cause.
Speaker Abdul Mukit, MBE, said “The ball was hugely successful and raised tens of thousands for MIND and the Surjamuki Project. Everyone who came had a wonderful night while knowing they were contributing to a very worthwhile cause. It was a great example of different communities coming together for the common good, and having fun at the same time!”