A CHARITY ball organised by a mum from Yealmpton raised more than £3,400 for the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation.

Annette Stone organised the event at Plympton’s Boringdon Park Golf Club on Saturday, April 16.

She first became aware of CLDF three years ago when her daughter Eleanor, now 15, was diagnosed with autoimmune liver disease.

Annette explained that she wanted to give something back to the charity that helped the family so much with information and emotional support. She said: ’CLDF provides an invaluable service to families.

’As a teenager it was a particularly harsh reality for Eleanor, coming to terms with the fact that she had been diagnosed with a disease, and incredibly scary as it was a completely unknown entity and she felt very alone.

’CLDF has given us both information on Eleanor’s condition, and emotional support to help us live with it on a daily basis. They have made us realise that we are not alone in this at all.

’We wanted to give something back, and thought a ball would enable us to raise £2,000. Instead the total is already at £3,400, with more still set to come in.

’We have had a fantastic response from the local community in terms of buying tickets and donating raffle and auction prizes and we are delighted to have beaten our target.’ 

CLDF chief executive Alison Taylor added: ’We are the only UK charity dedicated to fighting all childhood liver disease, which we do by providing information, emotional support, funds for research and a voice for all affected.

’To do this we rely on community fundraising for the majority of our income so we are so grateful to Annette for all her hard work in organising the ball. She has really got the local community behind her, and this is a brilliant result.’