Our Great Yorkshire Dinner Party

by Laura Burton, hostess of a Sick Children's Trust Great Yorkshire Dinner Party

We held a Great Yorkshire Dinner Party to boost funds towards The Big Move appeal. Having learnt that this local ‘Home from Home’ is moving to Leeds General Infirmary in May 2010 and that is costing £1.7 million, we thought we’d get involved!

We are two late twenty somethings and love going for dinner with friends, so this was the perfect way in which to rasie funds for a great cause. We wanted to do a pre-christmas meal so held a dinner party with a twist: a Xmas Xfactor Xtravaganza! We tied it in with the finale of Xfactor complete with masks and impersonations. However, there could only be one mask for us hosts, Simon Cowell of course (minus the high waisted trousers!)

We laid the table with Christmas crackers, candles, heart shaped lollipops and party poppers (and of course a bottle of vino or two) and our guests arrived at 7pm. We made it clear they were to have a restaurant experience, whereby they paid a set price of £15 for our delicious menu and in return we would run around after them all.

Upon arrival our guests had smoked salmon and brie heure d'oeuvres and a glass of champers and a very warm welcome. We did a brief chat about The Sick Children’s Trust and where the guests' money was going. We sat down in time for the powerful music that welcomes in the judges and made everyone one aware of the rules, fines were to be paid for talking through the songs or for being cheeky to the waitresses! Everyone donned their masks and slipped in to character (some a little bit too much!)

Then we prepared our main course of homemade turkey curry, naan and samosas. It went down a treat, “more drinks anyone?” as we topped up everyone’s half filled glasses! Snippets of conversations included a mixed opinion of George Michael's duet with Joe McElderry and Robbie’s (off que) rendition of Angels with the lovely Olly Murrs. We were watching like hawks to increase our fundraising, hoping more people would speak during the songs!

Dessert was a fresh chocolate biscuit bake with homemade champagne jelly; you could tell the bubbles had a profound effect! This got us all in the mood for musical chairs, musical statues and a dancing competition… you’re only as old as you feel!

We raised £185 for a night we will never forget; not bad considering we had so much fun in the process! Paying it was easy: we just logged on to The Sick Children’s Trust website and voila, paid online!