The Autumn months offer plenty of opportunities our supporters to meet and mingle in a festive spirit while raising vital funds to support our work. Close to 2,000 will gather for a series of gala events in Ireland, the UK and the US in the countdown to Christmas.

The gala calendar kicked off this month with the first-ever Dublin Change-Maker’s Ball, which was attended by 300 people in the Shelbourn Hotel. The evening featured a silent auction, the specially-curated Change-Maker’s cocktail, and the opportunity to support young entrepreneurs. The event raised over €100,000 to support our work, including more than €30,000 for our youth training programme in Uganda.

We’ll be rolling out the red carpet again in a few weeks’ time, for our eighth annual Change-Maker’s Ball in New York City which will be attended by close to 500 people on November 10th.

The day after, another major gala event will take place close to Shrewsbury, our base in the English midlands. For the very first time, Gorta-Self Help Africa’s supporters from Shropshire and beyond will gather for what promises to be a night to remember: the first annual Firecracker Ball. 600 people are expected to attend and enjoy a three-course meal, live entertainment and much more. Our gala season will draw to a close on November 17th, when supporters from Galway will come together for the fifth annual Galway Ball, now an established and popular event on the pre-Christmas calendar in the West of Ireland.

If you’re unable to make it to one of our galas, you’ll still have a chance to support Gorta-Self Help Africa at various events before the Christmas holidays. In Dublin, our annual Christmas Lunch will entertain guests at Eden Restaurant on November 25th, while schools and businesses will have the chance to hold a Christmas jumper event on December 15th.