Launch of five-year strategy at Old Bailey

We were delighted to launch our five-year strategy at an amazing evening at the iconic Old Bailey Central criminal court last week. The event was hosted by Alderman and Sheriff Alastair King DL and organised by our Patron, Chris Childs. It was a wonderful opportunity to invite and thank supporters, encourage continued support for the charity and share our future strategy.

On arrival, guests were guided to the beautiful Grand Hall, where drinks and canapés were served beneath the elaborate domed ceiling and intricately carved stone walls. Attendees included Treloar’s Trustees and Patrons, representatives from Livery companies, and Corporate Supporters, so this was a great opportunity for networking.

The evening commenced with a warm welcome from our host Alderman and Sheriff Alastair King DL, followed by an overview of the evening by our compere Kenzie Benali. Drinks in hand, our guests were then entertained by magician Etienne Pradier, who relieved several guests of their jewellery and money, much to the amusement of the audience!

The keynote speech was delivered by Hector Minto, Microsoft’s lead accessibility evangelist, who deftly described the link between disability needs and tech innovation, as well as his history with Treloar’s. Hector is also an advisor to the UK government on disability and accessibility, and has devoted his career to improving the lives of disabled people.

Next to the stage was Treloar College student, Reuben, whose story and future ambitions were introduced via a short film. Reuben then gave an interview and update on his plans for the future, with heart-warming confirmation that his dream of going to ‘uni’ will become a reality in September. Reuben described how being at Treloar’s had changed his life, given him independence and opened up the possibility of achieving things he would never have dreamed of.

The final speeches of the evening were delivered by Principal, Martin Ingram, who gave a summary of the strategy and Lucinda Gillingham, Director of Fundraising, who outlined the need for support and encouraged people to donate. In keeping with the Old Bailey theme, the raffle involved purchasing keys attached to various coloured ribbons. As each colour was eliminated, the keys were whittled down to the one that would ‘unlock’ the prize. The lucky winners were the Marsh family—parents of one of our students and dedicated supporters of Treloar’s.

The evening drew to a close with a final round of drinks and canapés and the opportunity to network with contacts old and new. It was lovely to see so many people committed to supporting our work—and from such a diverse supporter base. Thank you to everyone who came along to support us and who donated to the charity. And also, to our patron Chris Childs for helping to make this event possible.