Place2Be’s Arts & Minds Gala raises over £308,000 for children’s mental health

The Arts & Minds Gala Dinner, hosted at Battersea Arts Centre on Thursday 13 June 2024, has raised a phenomenal £308,441 for Place2Be.

Nearly 200 people attended the gala dinner. Guests enjoyed entertainment, fine arts, and gastronomy, all while raising vital funds for children and young people's mental health.

The evening was hosted by actor and long-time Place2Be supporter Alistair Petrie and featured stunning live musical performances from:

• soulful singer-songwriter Katie Melua
• mezzo-soprano Laura Wright
• pupils from Knightsbridge School.

Throughout the evening, artist LUAP created a spectacular artwork, which was auctioned off at the end of the night.

Guests heard from John Lane, Headteacher, and Daisy Anderson, Parent Governor, from Place2Be partner school Sacred Heart Primary. In powerful addresses, they shared their experiences of Place2Be’s support in their school and the huge impact it's had on the school's pupils and families.

In live and silent auctions, guests had the opportunity to bid for luxury experiences and prizes kindly donated by supporters and friends of Place2Be.

We express our gratitude to our generous sponsors and supporters. The event wouldn’t be possible without them. A huge thank you to:

• Marshall Wace (30th anniversary partner)
• Bloomberg (Gold partner)
• Sadie Sherman Gallery (Art partner)
• Elmwood (Design partner)
• Mars
• the Arts & Minds Gala Committee: Caroline Sherman (Chair), Lynley Ashby, Grace Newey, Roxanne Reynolds, Sadie Sherman, Alexandra Tarr and Emily White
• our live auction contributors: Candover Brook, Hotel Chocolat, Claire Musgrave, LUAP (Paul Robinson) and Grant Clark
• children from Knightsbridge School
• goodie bag sponsors Caroline Sherman, Crayola and Rare Beauty.

We give special thanks to our presenters, speakers, performers, the team at Hire Frequencies, Ricky Paul Flowers, Dinner Ladies and Battersea Arts Centre.

Place2Be created Arts & Minds in 2022 to shine a light on art as a creative tool to develop resilience and connect with each other. Our first Arts & Minds Gala Dinner was held on 12 October 2022 at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). The event raised over £275,000.

This year, as we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we have raised even more funds to advance our work. We can now do more to provide mental health support for children, young people, families, and staff in UK schools. Our enormous thanks to all those who contributed. All contributions are helping us strive toward our mission of ensuring no child or young person has to face their mental health challenges alone.