Richmond May Ball and Beyond

Recently I was asked to reflect on my work with Ruils and highlight something that I’m most proud of.  Without hesitation, so far, volunteering with my colleagues, at the Richmond May Ball is my answer.

As volunteers we had a host of tasks, but our main role was to manage tables – we welcomed and regaled guests and offered them the opportunity to buy tickets for the prestigious prize draw.

There was glamour, gaiety and immense generosity. Currently, it’s estimated that over £120K was raised. This will be split equally between Ruils and the other beneficiary charity, The Orange Tree Theatre.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Ruils Fundraising Manager, Carolyn Jones, to explore her thoughts on the Richmond May Ball 2025 and beyond.

Carolyn, at the end of the spectacular May Ball you were diligently packing away marketing paraphernalia. I know your work for the Ball started long before the actual night. Can you take me back to the very beginning, when Ruils became a beneficiary?

The ball might be in May, but the Richmond May Ball Committee has been working on this event all year round, for 19 years!  The work for the Richmond May Ball 2025 started the moment the previous ball had wrapped up.  Ruils CEO Cathy, and Trustee Sian, met with the Committee in early September 2024 to explain the difference Ball income would make to our clients.  We were over the moon to be chosen as beneficiaries, along with our friends at The Orange Tree Theatre, and it’s been full steam ahead ever since.

At the Ball, a short film about Ruils was played, it presented testimonies from people who said their lives were changed for the better, by having support from the charity. The guests said they found the footage, beautiful, insightful and impactful. As Fundraising Manager, being an instrumental part of the team – how does that success make you feel? And how do you believe it can be maintained?

The film that we created for the Ball, thanks to time and expertise donated by some incredible supporters, really captures the essence of who we are and what we do.  I know that all of the staff team feel very proud when we listen to our clients talking about what Ruils means to them.  We provide so many different services at Ruils that it can be hard to come up with the perfect summary of our work and impact.  That’s exactly what the film has managed to achieve.  I feel incredibly proud when I watch it and it was a great moment watching the room go completely silent as 460 people listened to our clients’ voices.

Ruils is a charity which quietly delivers support to thousands of local Disabled people every year.  People know about us when they need us, and a friend or GP or social worker or school points them our way, but until then they might not have even heard of us.  The Ball gave us the opportunity to get in front of a huge room full of local people and some of them have already come forward afterwards to offer to run a marathon for us or organise a charity golf day for us.  We hope that people will tell their friends about Ruils, whether it’s encouraging them to use our services or to support us.

I imagine the generous donation of more than £60k from the May Ball will make a difference to Ruils. How much of a difference do you envisage, Carolyn? What will the money be used for?

This is an extraordinary amount of money to Ruils and is 3 times more than we’ve ever raised through a fundraising event in the past.  This money will be used to keep a number of different services fully funded and the biggest chunk will go towards funding the Ruils Counselling Service.  Many of our clients come to us feeling isolated, overwhelmed, traumatised, or even suicidal. Often, they have nowhere else to turn. Our counselling team offers them a safe space to be heard, seen and supported, often for the first time, through some of the darkest and loneliest times in their lives. For many, this is the first step towards healing and hope.  However, the cost of counselling can be a barrier for many of our clients which is where the Ruils Counselling service steps in.

What’s next? What other fundraising events are on the horizon and how can people get involved?

We’re excited to have a big team of staff, supporters and volunteers taking on the Thames Path Challenge on Saturday 13^th September to raise funds.  Find out more and sign up to join us here.

Finally, Carolyn, is there anything in particular, that motivates you to do the amazing, worthwhile job that you do?

From helping children with SEND to get the support they need at school, to providing Befriending and accessible activities to Disabled people of all ages, my fantastic colleagues change people’s lives every single day.  I’ve worked at Ruils for 9 years now and a quick watch of my inspiring colleagues and our clients on our 2 minute film will show you why I am incredibly proud to be part of the Ruils family.