Kingfisher Ball in Bedford raises over £4,000 for Sue Ryder hospice

Rebecca Little (32), her sister Emma Little (35), and family friend Gail Humberstone (35) held their seventh ball at The Tithe Barn in Bedford in February. The event is dedicated to Rebecca and Emma’s mum, who was cared for at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice in 2011 during the final days of her life.

Rebecca said, "Our fundraising journey for Sue Ryder started small. A sponsored Santa Dash organised by the charity, where all our family and friends took part, got dressed up and ran 5k. One of our friends is a singer and performed for a crowd. We auctioned off an iPad, did bag packing at supermarkets, that kind of thing.

“Then in 2012, we decided to host our first ball. We called it the Kingfisher Ball because mum loved Kingfishers; she would walk the dog and spot them while she was out. It seemed like the perfect tribute to her.”

"We try to arrange a ball every couple of years. In between times, we have also completed treks for Sue Ryder, and during Covid, when we couldn't host the ball, we completed the London Marathon ‘virtually’, planning our own 26-mile route around Bedfordshire."

The £4,051 raised at the Kingfisher Ball this year takes the group’s overall fundraising total to more than £47,000 for Sue Ryder, helping to ensure that everyone approaching the end of life or living with grief can access the support they need.

Rebecca continues: “People say how amazing it is to have raised so much money, but to us it’s just what we do. We organise the events, and our only hope is that each time we can raise a decent amount of money so that more families can get the support they need. As long as our friends, family, and the wider community keep coming to the ball, we will keep going.”

The glittering event kicked off with a welcome drink, followed by a sit-down meal. The trio always initiates a game of heads and tails, with a £1 donation, and the winner takes home a bottle of champagne.

In addition, each year there is a raffle and an auction, with the top prize for 2026 being a weekend trip to Warsaw. To wrap up the evening, guests are invited to the dance floor for two hours of fun and music.

“It's a night for people to get dressed up and enjoy themselves. People always ask us when the next one is, as it’s something to look forward to – something a little bit different. It’s really nice when we get positive feedback from our events,” adds Rebecca.

Roisin Duggan, Community Fundraiser at Sue Ryder St John’s Hospice, said: “We rely heavily on the generosity of people like Rebecca, Emma, and Gail fundraising to support our services. We are so grateful to them for their continued efforts. The money they have raised will help us to continue to be there when it matters because no one should face death or grief alone.”

If you would like to find out more about fundraising for Sue Ryder, contact the fundraising team on 01767 642 412 or email [email protected]

To find out more about Sue Ryder, visit sueryder.org