“I wanted to give something back”: 19-year-old organises a charity ball in aid of Parkinson’s UK Milton Keynes Support Group
A young Milton Keynes fundraiser is turning her family’s experience of Parkinson’s into a night of celebration and support for the local community.
A 19-year-old from Milton Keynes is organising a charity ball in aid of the Parkinson’s UK Milton Keynes Support Group, after seeing first-hand the impact the condition can have on someone she loves.
The Charity Ball, taking place on 17 April 2027 at Wilton Hall in Bletchley, has been organised with the aim of raising money to help continue the work of the local Parkinson’s support group and develop sustainable support for people living with Parkinson’s, as well as their partners and carers.
For the young organiser, the event is deeply personal.
“Most people may not know this, but a couple of years ago my grandad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s,” she explains.
Her grandfather had always been an active and social person who loved gardening, bowling and getting on the dance floor. Watching Parkinson’s gradually affect his mobility, confidence and social life was something the family had never expected.
“Watching someone you love slowly lose parts of themselves is heartbreaking,” she says. “He was always active, always busy, always the life and soul of everything. To see someone who was once constantly on the go begin to lose their mobility, confidence and social life was something our family never expected to happen so quickly.”
Parkinson’s can affect far more than movement. For those living with the condition, it can have an impact on independence, confidence, relationships and everyday life, and can sometimes leave people feeling isolated.
But for her grandfather, finding the Parkinson’s UK Milton Keynes Support Group made a significant difference.
The group offered him more than practical support. Through exercise classes, cafés, meetings and social activities, he found friendship, understanding and a community where he felt heard and accepted.
“Seeing him regain confidence, strength and happiness reminded us just how important support networks like this truly are,” she says.
That experience inspired the 19 year old to take action.
“I wanted to do something that could give back to a group that has given my grandad and our family so much,” she says.
The Charity Ball will be an evening of celebration, entertainment and fundraising. Guests will enjoy a welcome drink, three-course meal, half a bottle of wine, live entertainment and singers, as well as an auction.
The event will also celebrate the legacy of the wonderful Mavis Skeats, who meant so much to the Milton Keynes Parkinson’s community.
The organiser hopes the evening will not only raise much-needed funds, but also bring attention to the support available to people living with Parkinson’s across Milton Keynes.
“We are raising money to continue the incredible work of the Milton Keynes Support Group and to help build a sustainable support programme for people living with Parkinson’s and for their partners and carers across Milton Keynes.”
The event is currently seeking local businesses and sponsors who would like to support the Charity Ball. Sponsorship opportunities are available, offering businesses the chance to support a local cause while raising their profile within the Milton Keynes community.
A massive thank you also goes to Routeco for becoming headline sponsors of the Charity Ball. Their support means so much an will play an important part in helping make the event possible and supporting the fundraising efforts for the Milton Keynes Parkinson's community.
“For me, this isn’t simply about putting a business in front of the Milton Keynes community,” she says. “It is a chance to be part of something that genuinely changes lives.”
Tickets for the Charity Ball are also available, with early-bird tickets priced at £65 per person until 30 September 2026, or £625 for a table of 10. Standard tickets will then be £70 per person, or £675 for a table of 10.
The evening will take place at:
Wilton Hall
Wilton Avenue, Bletchley
Milton Keynes
MK3 6DX
Guests are asked to dress to impress.
Businesses interested in sponsorship, donations or supporting the event can contact [email protected].