Hospice patients in Kenton had a ball at a glamorous fundraising event which raised £23,000 for the charity.

More than 120 people enjoyed an evening of live entertainment, a three-course meal, and great prizes at St Luke’s Winter Ball at Allianz Park, home of the Saracens rugby union.

Mary Ellis was able to attend the event thanks to support she has received from the hospice in Kenton Road over the past year.

The 61-year-old said: “I met the lovely Shainaz Alidina, a complementary therapist at the In-Patient Unit at St Luke’s hospice. I confided in her about the foot drop, which was a side effect of treatment I had at hospital. At the time I was extremely frail and weak and was unable to wear shoes or walk.

“Thanks to her reflexology and massage treatments, I am able to now walk better with the help of a walking stick, which is something I never thought I would be able to achieve! It’s absolutely amazing!

She added: “Shainaz has been a big part of my journey by helping me both physically and emotionally. She always listened to my needs and got the support I needed from the right team members at the hospice. A big thank you to the team at St Luke’s Hospice for the wonderful job they have done and continue to do so.”

The Winter Ball was sponsored by Ellis and Co estate agents, who have a base in Wembley.

Director Kam Kalra said: “We are always very keen to support our local community and to be able to sponsor an event for such a reputable charity. We believe it is extremely important, especially in this current tough economic time where all charities should be supported as much as possible and as often as possible in order to help them continue the great work they do and for such a worthy cause.”