Laughter, Inspiration and £6,600 raised at Lunch & Laugh
Written by Lexi Heselwood on 30th June 2026
We’re celebrating the success of our Lunch & Laugh fundraising event, which raised an incredible £6,600 to support disabled children and young people across the UK.
Held at Carden Park Hotel, the special charity lunch brought together supporters, fundraisers and beneficiaries for an uplifting afternoon of entertainment, community spirit and fundraising. Guests were welcomed with a performance from Dee Sign Choir, before enjoying a two-course lunch, followed by entertainment from BAFTA-winning comedian, actor and writer Jack Carroll, who is best known for reaching the final of Britain’s Got Talent and more recently his role as Bobby Crawford in Coronation Street.
The event was hosted by BBC journalist, Ellis Palmer, who has a longstanding connection with Children Today. In 2012, the charity funded a powered wheelchair that enabled him to attend the University of Birmingham and undertake studies in Barcelona, helping him pursue the educational opportunities that led to his successful journalism career.
During the event, Ellis was joined on stage by two Children Today beneficiaries, Loyd Wildridge and Nicole Walker – featured in this edition of our newsletter – whose families shared their personal experiences of how the charity’s support has transformed their lives.
Ellis Palmer comments:
“Hosting this event was incredibly special for me because I know first-hand the difference Children Today can make. The powered wheelchair the charity provided for me in 2012 gave me the independence to attend university, study abroad and pursue the career I have today.
“It was a privilege to share the stage with Loyd and Nicole and hear their inspiring stories. Every piece of equipment funded by Children Today opens doors, creates opportunities and helps young people achieve things that might otherwise seem out of reach.”
During the event Helen Dalby-Wildridge, mum of Loyd Wildridge – who also became a trustee at Children Today in 2025 – talked about how Loyd suffered permanent brain damage after contracting encephalitis at the age of six. Children Today funded an adapted trike to help him rebuild strength and mobility following leg surgery, allowing him to enjoy outdoor activities and sports.
Inspired by the support he received, Loyd has undertaken a fundraising challenge every year since 2020 – often using his trike – and has raised more than £8,000 to date for Children Today to help other disabled children access vital equipment and support.
Nicole Walker and her mum Nikki Walker also shared their story with guests. Born three months premature, Nicole has cerebral palsy and scoliosis and relies on specialist mobility equipment to maintain her independence and wellbeing. When NHS provision was no longer able to meet her changing needs, she was left without a suitable manual wheelchair.
After being without a suitable wheelchair for more than 18 months Children Today, helped provide a lightweight folding wheelchair, enabling Nicole to reconnect with loved ones, access more places within her community and enjoy greater independence.
Nicole’s generosity also contributed directly to the fundraising success of the event. A keen artist, she donated an original piece of artwork to Children Today’s silent auction, which took her more than 50 hours to complete.
Emma Prescott, Charity Director at Children Today, adds:
“We are absolutely delighted that Lunch & Laugh raised such an incredible amount to help us support more disabled children and young people like Loyd and Nicole. Every pound raised will help provide life-changing mobility equipment and support to families who are facing significant challenges.
“Although we’re serious about making a difference, our charity Lunch and Laugh event was all about celebrating the smiles that this equipment puts on the faces of the young people we support when they realise they can do something for the first time as well as the smiles of their parents when they see their child thrive. These smiles and their stories remind us that no matter whatever challenges a family may face there is always room for joy, hope and possibility and what can be better than that?”
We would like to thank everyone who attended and all those who helped make the event such a wonderful success including:
Our host, entertainers and beneficiaries: Ellis Palmer; Jack Carroll; Dee Sign Choir; Loyd Wildridge and Helen Dalby-Wildridge; Nicole Walker and Nikki Walker.
Those who sponsored tickets: Associated Telecom; Whiting Landscape; Blind Tiger Inns; Award Limited; Networx4Business; Cheshire Surveys; Charles McIlwrick; Peter Evans and Hugh McCaw.
Those who donated prizes for our raffle and silent auction: Trailfinders; Carden Park; Manchester United FC; Elspeth Rose Therapies; Hawarden Estate Farm shop; Climbing Hut; Lucy Quartermaine Jewellery; Tropic Skincare; Asda Ellesmere Port; Pauline Fowler Fine Art; Sarah Perry Fine Art; Kate Gator; Landscapes by Lucy and The Fantastic Apparent.
A special thanks goes to Gavin J Priest Photography for donating his time and talent to capture the event so beautifully!
