Thursday 27th November was a night like no other. Royal Nawaab Pyramid, located within the iconic Stockport Pyramid, hosted its first Royale Gala Charity Dinner with 400 guests in attendance. The lavish event raised over £25,000 on the night through ticket sales, auctions and a raffle for Stockport NHS Charity, the official charity of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, which supports Stepping Hill Hospital and local community NHS services.
The venue pledged 100% of ticket sales to the charity, one close to the heart of founder, Mahboob Hussain.
The evening was a celebration of community with stunning food served within the restaurant’s luxurious banqueting suite. The evening was hosted by DJ and presenter Tommy Sandhu and featured unforgettable entertainment, including aerial performers and live music.
An exclusive raffle and auction with showstopping prizes was led by Charles Hanson of BBC’s Bargain Hunt fame. The exclusive lots on offer included a Monaco F1 Grand Prix experience including a superyacht.
Guests on the evening included local MPs,The Mayor of Stockport, Kerry Waters, and Stockport NHS Foundation Trust Chief Executive Karen James OBE, who personally thanked everyone at the Roal Nawaab and all the doners for their support.
Mahboob Hussain, Founder of Royal Nawaab, who lives locally to Stepping Hill Hospital, is a big believer in supporting the hospital and the wider foundation. The charity’s aim is to help provide additional funding to enhance the environment and care that they provide across the Stockport community.
Mahboob Hussain said: “We are thrilled with the success of our inaugural Royale Gala and that every penny raised will go directly to the charity at the heart of our community. It was fantastic to share the evening with so many guests, who gave generously to the local cause.
“My family has had incredible care at Stepping Hill Hospital, including the births of all my grandchildren. It is a vital part of our community, and we are delighted to host this evening to be able to celebrate and give something back.
Kate Leadbeater Charity Manager of Stockport NHS Charity said: “What an evening! We are truly honoured and grateful to Royal Nawaab for hosting the event to raise awareness of our charity and the fundraising we do to enhance the patient experience and improve staff development at Stepping Hill Hospital.
“To see the local community and businesses come together was amazing and it was inspiring to see how much the charity means to people across Stockport.”
The charity exists to improve the health and wellbeing of patients across Stockport by delivering services above and beyond ordinary standards.
One key project which the charity is funding is a brand new state-of-the-art incubator for the hospital’s neonatal team, which will help provide care and treatment for premature and poorly babies. The incubator will help ensure that a tiny baby needing extra support will have the best possible environment for its start in life. It is smaller than standard incubators so it can be used as a travel incubator, giving easier access for both parents and midwifery team should a baby need transporting to a special baby unit.
Other areas where the charity has helped to enhance patient, staff and visitor experiences have included revitalising and creating outdoor green spaces at Stepping Hill Hospital. The charity has helped to secure funding from Greener Communities for a therapy garden for the Acute Frailty Unit. The charity has also created a functional outdoor area for the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit to aid in recovery and supported a full renovation of the hospital’s Treehouse Children’s Unit Garden, a much-loved facility.
Other projects that the charity has helped to fund include the creation of a parent and family rooms within Stepping Hill Hospital’s Neonatal Unit so parents can have a touch of home comforts, when staying with their babies in the hospital.