Inner Spark and the Goyal Foundation host a spectacular fundraiser dinner raising over £6,000 for mental health charity, MOTS
On Friday 1st December 2023, guests took their seats at Tandoor Lounge, Hornchurch (Essex) for a night full of activities focused on mental health, a live auction, delicious food and competitive charity quiz.
The night kicked off with a warm welcome message from Anita Goyal MBE, Chair of the Goyal Foundation followed by a speech from Co-Founders of Mind of the Student, Kieran Goodwin and Jaylan Sesli, who gave a heartfelt insight as to why they launched MOTS and their future plans for the charity.
A taste bud, tantalising three course meal was provided, in between activities, by Tandoori Lounge, who served authentic Punjabi cuisine, which guests thoroughly enjoyed.
The night moved on to an informative workshop taster session with facilitator, Nathan – who introduced the mental health bucket analogy, which is shown to students at workshop days.
Shortly after this Nathan introduced the ‘what mental health means to you’ canvas activity, which saw guests illustrate a range of artistic and creative designs, on how they perceive mental health. All finished canvases looked vibrant, creative and some even thought provoking. Guest, Katie was announced winner of the canvas activity taking a luxury hamper home, thanks to and provided by Inner Spark.
Next up was the charity auction which had guests sitting on the edge of their seat with great prizes up for grabs including a one night stay in 5 star hotel, Andaz (Liverpool Street) and private chef masterclass.
Wrapping up, the night ended with a competitive and lively quiz focused on mental health, Essex and Indian cuisine. Guest, Sunaina, was in the lead right from the start, and finished a home run, landing a top prize, winning the charity quiz.
Anita Goyal MBE, Chair of the Goyal Foundation shared her thoughts on the exhilarating evening:
“Last night’s fundraising dinner for Mind of the Student Charity was a vibrant journey of engagement and discovery. Organised by the passionate team at Inner Spark, and next generation philanthropist Simran Sehmi.”
“The event offered a unique blend of fun, interactive learning experiences, and the joy of giving. The highlight was undoubtedly the delicious meal from Tandoori Lounge, adding an extra layer of warmth and delight to the evening. This event not only raised significant funds but also brought us closer as a community, united in our commitment to support mental health initiatives for students.”
An incredible £6,000 was raised at the fundraiser dinner, thanks to the huge generosity of guests with their donations, pledges and contributions. Funds raised will help MOTS deliver more mental health workshops to young people across the country from 2024, in partnership with Inner Spark and the Goyal Foundation, who are already funding an incredible 25 workshop days.
A special thank you goes to the Organising Committee Chair, Simran Sehmi for her dedication in making the dazzling event a great success.
If you would still like donate, thank you – please visit our JustGiving profile.
If you missed the latest episode of Relight Your Fire, hosted by Anita Goyal with Co-Founder of MOTS, Kieran Goodwin, head to Apple Podcasts or Spotify to listen now.
