Kerry Spink hosted her second Ladies Day event at Cottons Hotel and Spa in Knutsford, Cheshire, recently, raising £16,500 for Muscular Dystrophy UK. The event was inspired by her twin sons Oscar and Seb, 15, who live with Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD).
Event Details and Fundraising
The Ladies Day, organised alongside Mandy Raftery, who also lives with FSHD, and Cara Keig, featured a drinks reception, two-course lunch, boutique shopping, auction, raffles, and entertainment. The £16,500 raised will support research and help people living with muscle wasting conditions.
Hosted by Cheshire's Mix 56 radio presenter Rachel Aitken, the event included a powerful speech by TEDx speaker Zoe Harrison, who lives with limb girdle muscular dystrophy and hosts the podcast Dystrophy Diaries. Among the 160 guests was content creator Alison Stankard (Totes Inappropes).
Personal Motivation
Kerry Spink explained her motivation: "In some ways, my boys Oscar and Seb are just like many other teenagers their age - football mad and they love gaming and spending time with friends. But they live with a rare progressive condition, Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), which causes their muscles to weaken over time. This impacts every area of their lives, from using electric wheelchairs to get around, to losing the ability to do small things that most people take for granted, like being able to smile or raise their eyebrows."
She continued: "We knew something wasn't right from a young age. The boys experienced hip pain and poor weight gain, as well as having a lack of facial movements. It took 18 months to get a definitive diagnosis but at the age of eight, Oscar and Seb were diagnosed with FSHD. It was a huge shock to all of us and that's when we found Muscular Dystrophy UK, who helped us understand the condition and enabled us to meet other families going through the same thing."
Gratitude and Future Plans
Kerry added: "Organising this event is my way of giving back and ensuring the charity can be there for other families like ours, as well as continuing to fund vital research into new treatments." The £16,500 was raised through ticket sales, a raffle, live auction, and donations.
"I'd like to say a huge thank you to all our guests, helping to raise so much money for Muscular Dystrophy UK," said Kerry Spink. "This is a cause very close to mine and Mandy's hearts and we're so grateful for people's generosity and support. I'd like to say a special thank you to Zoe Harrison for joining us on the day and sharing her story with everyone in the room. The day wouldn't have been possible without the help of our sponsors, so thank you to Blok Projects, Deb Wilson - Not Just Travel, and The Duerr's Foundation, as well as those who donated auction lots and raffle prizes. This was our second annual Ladies Day, and we look forward to seeing everyone again next year!"
Find out more about Muscular Dystrophy UK at www.musculardystrophyuk.org.
