Age UK's star-studded Vitality Ball

Age UK's star-studded
Vitality Ball raises over £275,000 for older people

Samantha Bond, Kathy Lette, Robert Powell and Penny Smith were among the stellar line-up of guests who attended Age UK's Vitality Ball at the Natural History Museum, London, on Thursday 4th June.

The Charity's fourth annual ball, sponsored by Ageas, was hosted by TV impressionist and comedian Jon Culshaw, while British soul singer Heather Small, the voice of M People, entertained the audience of over 350 celebrities and guests. The evening also included a live auction hosted by TV personality Tim Wonnacott, who encouraged bids for a selection of exclusive prizes.

All proceeds from the Vitality Ball will help Age UK provide companionship, advice and support for millions of older people facing later life alone. Age UK recently revealed that one in four (2.9 million)1 people aged 65 and over feel they have no one to go to for help and support.

Heather Small said: 'It was fantastic performing in such an iconic venue for supporters of Age UK. It's heart-breaking that so many older people face each day completely alone and feel like they have no one to turn to, so I'm thrilled we have raised so much for the Charity this evening.'

Jon Culshaw said: 'It was a pleasure hosting Age UK's Vitality Ball and I hope everyone enjoyed the evening as much as I did. Age UK is a great charity whose work is changing the lives of so many older people across the country. Thanks to everyone who got involved and helped raise funds.'

Laurie Boult, Head of Fundraising at Age UK said: 'Our fourth Vitality Ball has been a huge success. It's a fantastic way to celebrate the work of the Charity and raise much needed funds to help relieve the isolation and loneliness that affect too many people in later life. We're extremely grateful to all our sponsors and everyone who attended the event to support and help us continue our vital work.'

Ageas, long term insurance partner of Age UK, was the headline sponsor of the Vitality Ball. E.ON, Dignity and Just Retirement Solutions also sponsored the event.

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 Image: John Culshaw at Vitality Ball (JPEG 48 KB)

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Media contact

For more information and images, please contact Marilena Luxmoore on 0203 033 1204 or email Marilena.Luxmoore@ageuk.org.uk.

Notes to editors

1126% of people aged 65+ selected being ‘always, often or sometimes' when answering the question ‘How often, if at all, do you ever feel like you have no-one to go to for help/ support?'. Calculations were made by Age UK. Population figures for the UK are based on mid-2013 population estimates, ONS 2014, using the figure of 11,131,805 people aged 65 or over in the UK.

About Age UK's Vitality Ball

The Vitality Ball is a dazzling celebration of Age UK's work to give an inspirational generation of people the opportunity to live life to the full. In 2013, £260,000 was raised at the star-studded event.

About Age UK

We work with our national partners, Age Scotland, Age Cymru and Age NI and our local Age UK partners in England (together the Age UK Family). We also work internationally for people in later life as a member of the DEC and with our sister charity Help Age International.

Age UK believes that everyone should have the opportunity to make the most of later life, whatever their circumstances. We provide free information, advice and support to over six million people; commercial products and services to over one million customers; and research and campaign on the issues that matter to people in later life. Our work focuses on five key areas: money matters, health and well being, home and care, work and learning and travel and lifestyle.

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England (registered charity number 1128267 and company number 6825798). Age Concern England and Help the Aged (both registered charities), and their trading and other associated companies merged on the 1st April 2009. Together they have formed the Age UK Group ("we"). Charitable services are offered through Age UK and commercial products are offered by the Charity's trading companies, which donate their net profits to Age UK (the Charity).

About Ageas

Ageas has been providing Personal lines insurance designed to meet the needs of those in later life to Age UK customers since 2006. With Ageas's expertise in underwriting and service provision, over 400,000 insurance customers are benefiting from peace of mind and protection with specially designed products. Key benefits include no upper age limits or hidden administration fees, whilst customers can enjoy paying by interest-free monthly instalments at no extra cost.

About E.ON

E.ON is one of the UK's leading power and gas companies - generating electricity, and retailing power and gas and is part of the E.ON group, one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies. In the UK, E.ON supplies electricity and gas to around 5 million residential and business customers and is committed to helping its customers use and pay for no more energy than they need.

Over the past three years, E.ON has supported Age UK in winter by donating grants to the Charity's Winter Warmth Programme. This winter, E.ON provided a grant of £1 million to enable Age UK to provide funding to help vulnerable older people keep warm and well throughout the winter months through free benefits advice and energy efficiency checks to help maximise income, reduce energy consumption and help cut energy bills.

Over one million E.ON customers have so far used E.ON's Saving Energy Toolkit, which provides detailed online information about where and when energy is being used in the home, including how customers' energy use compares to others in their area.

For more information, visit eonenergy.com.

About Dignity

Dignity is a British company that has funeral homes and crematoria throughout the UK and strives to set the highest standards for the funeral profession in terms of client service and care for the deceased. Dignity is also one of the UK's leading providers of pre-paid funeral plans, where people can plan and pay for their funeral in advance. Dignity is a FTSE 250 company listed on the London Stock Exchange and its funeral directors and arrangers come from the communities they serve or families that have been in the profession for generations.

About Just Retirement Solutions

Just Retirement (Holdings) Limited was founded in 2004 and in November 2013, following a successful initial public offering, Just Retirement Group plc was admitted to the main market of the London Stock Exchange. The Group provides products to those at or in-retirement, these include individually underwritten annuities, care annuities, lifetime mortgages and defined benefit de-risking solutions. The Age UK Annuity Service and the Age UK Equity Release Advice Service are provided by Just Retirement Solutions Limited. Through the Age UK Equity Release Advice Service customers have access to an equity release plan with exclusive features, provided by Just Retirement Limited. Just Retirement Solutions Limited is one of the UK's leading equity release advice specialists and has made over £485million available to more than 20,000 customers since the company launched in 2006. Since the launch of the Just Retirement Solutions Limited's Annuity Service in 2008, the service has helped over 7,000 customers invest over £172million in annuity premiums.