Charity ball celebrates Mayor's memory
An annual event hosted by the Mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme to raise funds for local charities is this year being dedicated to their memory.
The life of Mayor, Cllr. Barry Panter – who passed away on Saturday, 15 February following a road accident – is being celebrated at a charity ball at Keele Hall on Saturday, 29 March.
The event, which is going ahead with some slight changes, will be hosted by the Mayor’s widow, Beatrice Panter, and Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Robert Bettley-Smith.
Guests will enjoy a reception and dinner followed by dancing until midnight to live music performed by local mod/indie band The Absconders. There is also a tombola, top table draw and auction. There are a handful of tickets remaining, priced at £50 each. For more information, please contact 01782 742222.
Proceeds will benefit Headway North Staffs and the Salvation Army, in Chesterton, which were selected by Cllr. Panter as his chosen charities when he was invested with the chains of office in May 2024.
Mrs Panter said:
The charity ball was something that Barry looked forward to ever since he became the Mayor. He started collecting tombola prizes straight away and it became a standing joke that it’s physically impossible to enter a room in our house because it’s full of items: a hamper, slow cooker, leather wallet and various alcoholic drinks being just a few examples.
When Barry was in hospital after his accident, he kept asking what would happen to the event so I made a promise that I would host it on his behalf and raise some more money for his charities. It’s what he would have wanted. It will be very hard but I’m looking forward to meeting the guests, especially those I’ve worked with closely over the past 12 months.”
Meanwhile, the Borough Heroes Awards – originally part of the charity ball – are now taking place on a separate date. The ceremony takes place at Keele in Town in Newcastle town centre on Tuesday, 8 April. The deadline for nominations has subsequently been extended to midnight on Sunday, 16 March.
The council is once again shining the spotlight on community champions of all ages whose actions have a positive impact across the borough.
There are four categories: Young Hero, Lifetime Achievement, Sporting Hero, and – for the first time – Civic Pride in a nod to the council’s new initiative to boost pride in Newcastle-under-Lyme and strengthen its reputation as a place which is clean, safe and friendly.
The initiative is one of the legacies from year-long celebrations in 2023 marking the 850th anniversary of the borough’s first royal charter.
You can nominate someone for an award, or find out more information, here.