Industry raises $78,000 at Raven Fox charity ball

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The Promise is to use funds raised at the Raven Fox Russian Ice Ball to fund an ambitious aid project at the Yelmata orphanage for profoundly disabled children

The travel-retail industry showed its generosity yet again at the Raven Fox charity ball earlier this month, raising $78,000 for The Promise. The funds, raised through advance donations and a night of fun and games at the Renaissance Chancery Court in London, will fund an ambitious aid project at an orphanage for profoundly disabled children in Yelmata in Russia.

The Promise has just completed a six-month pilot project at Yelmata, which showed how a system of physical education known as Portage can offer great benefits to disabled children. With the funds raised from the Raven Fox charity ball, The Promise aims to employ 10 Portage workers to help 30 children, as well as providing physiotherapy equipment and trained physiotherapists.

As well as fierce bidding for some great prizes in a charity auction on the night of the ball, several travel-retail companies offered big advance donations, including DFS Group, Dubai Duty Free, Gebr Heinemann, the International Association of Airport Duty Free Stores and King Power Group (Hong Kong), as well as a special donation on the night from King Power International Group (Thailand).

Raven Fox managing director Paul Kelly said: “On behalf of The Promise, and the children they will be helping as a result, I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to the fundraising efforts. $70,000 is a great sum and the industry can once again be proud of its charitable spirit.”