evoke plc, one of the world’s leading betting and gaming companies and the operator of William Hill, 888, and Mr. Green, has raised £117,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association at its first-ever Charity Gala.
The “sold-out” black-tie event, held at the Royal Armories Museum in Leeds on Thursday, 14th November, welcomed more than 450 guests for an evening of entertainment, dinner and fundraising activities. The gala was attended by employees and management from across evoke’s global offices, partners, and several celebrity guests and ambassadors of 888 and William Hill, including Sir AP McCoy, Jason Bell, and Lucinda Russell.
The funds raised will support the Motor Neurone Disease Association – a UK charity dedicated to improving access to care, advancing research, and advocating for people affected by Motor Neurone Disease. The charity was identified following a colleague-led review of potential charity partners and selected because of its close connection with evoke colleague and regional operations manager Leisa Byers, who’s niece Tamara was diagnosed with the disease at just 26 years of age. Tamara, Leisa and Tamara’s mum Tracy worked with the charity to produce a video which was shown on the night, telling Tamara’s story and raising awareness about MND.
It is also an issue that deeply impacts families and local communities, particularly in Leeds – where evoke is a significant employer – after former Leeds Rhino player Rob Burrow lost his battle with Motor Neurone Disease earlier this year. In the UK, Motor Neurone Disease impacts more than 5,000 people per year.
Per Widerstrom, CEO of evoke, said: “At evoke, we care deeply about the issues that affect our colleagues and communities. Following a company-wide search for a charity partner, we selected Motor Neurone Disease Association due to its close, personal connection to a member of our retail team. Through our charity gala – a fantastic occasion that brought together our colleagues, partners and ambassadors – we wanted to play our part in raising vital funds for this charity while showcasing our commitment to support the causes that matter to our colleagues and the broader community.”
Ian D Gardner, Head of Philanthropy and Corporate Partnerships, said: ‘’We are extremely grateful to evoke and everyone who attended the inaugural evoke the Stars event. Thanks to your generosity, we raised £117,000 - making it one of the most successful corporate fundraising evenings we've ever had.
A special thank you goes to evoke employee Leisa Byers for nominating us as the event’s beneficiary, and to her niece, Tamara, who was diagnosed with MND at just 26, for sharing her story on the evening.
evoke’s support is instrumental in enabling us to provide essential care services to those affected by MND and to fund groundbreaking research that brings us closer to effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure. Together, we are making a transformative difference in the lives of those impacted by this devastating disease.’’
