Birmingham Airport raises £80,500 for Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity at charity dinner
Birmingham Airport (BHX) has raised £80,500 for its nominated charity partner, Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, at its charity dinner event sponsored by partner company Mitie.
This is the second ever event of its kind hosted by the regional transport hub, following such a successful inaugural dinner in October last year.
The dinner was once again located at the Heart of England Conference Centre in Meriden, hosting more than 420 guests from 52 partner organisations for an evening of live music, a three-course meal, games and fundraising.
The charity dinner was hosted by Nick Barton, CEO of BHX and Mark Brider, CEO of Birmingham Children's Hospital and Charity. A very special part of the evening included a speech from Alex Cookson, who shared his family’s personal experience with the hospital. He described the incredible care his daughter Evie received from the team at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, which helped her beat the odds and renewed the family’s hope.
Fundraising activities on the night included a raffle and a silent auction of exclusive experiences generously donated by partner organisations. Experiences on offer included a chance to fly in a Spitfire aircraft, a four-night city break to Prague for two, a variety of fine dining experiences and a VIP NBA courtside experience.
At the inception of BHX’s partnership with Birmingham Children’s Hospital, the airport pledged to raise £250k over three years for the charity. With the funds raised last night, the total now stands at nearly £300,000, exceeding the airport's target.
Nick Barton, Chief Executive Officer at Birmingham Airport, said, “I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who showed their support at last night’s charity dinner. It was a fantastic evening of entertainment and incredible generosity. Thanks to donations, we have now raised over our target of £250,000 for Birmingham Children's Hospital and I couldn’t be prouder. Every pound raised helps the hospital continue delivering life-changing care through pioneering research, specialist equipment, enhanced facilities and wellbeing support for thousands of children and families, like Evie and her family, who depend on its services every year.”
Helen Miles, Director of Philanthropy & Partnerships at Birmingham Children's Hospital Charity, said, "We're absolutely delighted to be part of the second Birmingham Airport charity dinner, following the success of last year’s fantastic event. We're so grateful to everyone who joined us for a wonderful evening, raising a phenomenal £80,500 for our Children's Hospital.
"Since the start of this partnership, Birmingham Airport has raised over £250,000 for our brave patients, and that incredible figure continues to grow. The airport's support has already transformed experiences and environments for our patients, and continues to allow us to do even more for the 100,000 sick kids our hospital cares for each year."
To find out more about our corporate partnership with BCH, please visit our community investment page here.