Raven Fox Ball supports Beslan children

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Fundraising will support victims of the school tragedy in Russia

The ninth annual Raven Fox Charity Ball on February 3 2005, will raise funds for the survivors of the Beslan school tragedy in southern Russia.

The event will support the Beslan School ? World Vision Psychosocial Project, to repair and equip a rehabilitation centre in Vladikavkaz that will provide trauma counselling and psychosocial support to the victims of the Beslan crisis.

Over 300 people were killed and over 400 injured during a siege at a school in Beslan, in the Southern Republic of North Ossetia (Southern Russia) on September 1 2004, the first day of the new school year.

This tragic day has had a devastating effect on the entire community, and especially the children. According to UNICEF and WHO, any aid must now focus on the medium- and long-term needs of the Beslan residents.

A planned psychosocial rehabilitation centre will be created in a hospital in Valdikavkaz near Beslan, where most victims are being treated. Equipment and materials are needed to create the centre and upon completion the WHO will provide staff training and contribute supplies. About $80,000 is required to do the necessary refurbishment work, a figure that should be attainable with the help of the industry.

As well as benefiting the families of Beslan, the ball will feature an auction in aid of the John Blower Trust. John, whose wife Julie works for the First Choice Airways inflight team, was paralysed from the neck down whilst playing rugby, and although his will to recover from his horrific injury has amazed his family, friends and the medical team who have cared for him, his family home is now unsuitable for his needs. Money raised by the trust has already paid for a state of the art electric wheelchair, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle and physiotherapy equipment, and John and Julie are hoping to move into a purpose-built property designed to accommodate John's needs and those of his family and carers.

For the past eight years, through the Raven Fox Ball, this industry has supported some very worthy causes including Orbis, The Chernobyl Children's Project and Dreamflight. This year, the industry can play a vital role in supporting the recovery of the Beslan children from the school tragedy that changed their lives forever.

Book your table at this event and enjoy of night of fun, industry networking and fundraising for a worthy cause. Tables of ten are £1,700 and individual seats are £170. Companies can also donate cash or prizes for the many fundraising activities on the night, which include a raffle and auction.

This event takes place alongside the Global Travel Retail Summit on February 3-4, at the same venue in London. If you register for the Summit you gain automatic entry to the Ball, but tables and tickets (as priced above) are also available separately.

To book your table and/or make a donation, please contact Raven Fox Head of Events Rossella Golluscio at rgolluscio@ravenfox.com