Inaugural fundraising gala dinner for Leamington-based charity raises over £20k
By Amanda Chalmers 11th Feb 2026
Organisers are tickled pink following the success of their first fundraising gala dinner at the weekend, raising over £20,000.
A Touch of Pink Gala, held at King's High in Warwick, has raised £24k for The Esther Project which is based in Leamington.
The Leamington-based CiC was established by Lianne Kirkman in 2023 - her mission, to create a nurturing and empowering community where every woman can heal, grow and reach their future potential. It does this through a range of services, including counselling, one-on-one support, creative activities, employability opportunities, and drop-in sessions.
Esther House - a seven-bed supported living accommodation, also opens its doors for vulnerable women who need a safe space to recover.
Lianne said: "I am absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity shown at our inaugural 'A Touch of Pink' Gala. To raise £24,000 in a single evening is a life-changing result for The Esther Project, especially as we started this journey just 18 months ago with £0 in the bank, just a team of strong women with a vision to make a difference.
"A year ago, I spent 10 nights sleeping rough in 10 different locations across the UK to truly understand the dangers and gaps in support for women. The research is clear, domestic abuse is the leading cause of women's homelessness, and trauma affects so many women across our county, who often don't feel safe accessing the support due to mixed gender environments. That sleepout experience was a turning point for me; it confirmed that specialised, women-only services are vital for women's survival.
"The funds raised at the gala will help us to continue to provide a women only sanctuary and fuel our vision for more hubs and safe spaces across the county. Our Gala Dinner night was a true community effort."
The full evening of entertainment was compered by award-winning host and broadcaster Kirsty Leahy of KLP, and included live music from all-female electric-acoustic trio String Infusion and talented singer songwriter Shanade Morrow.
Shanade also leads regular lyric-writing, poetry and singing lessons at The Esther House Monday drop-in sessions.
Also helping to keep the guests entertained throughout the evening was Angus Baskerville, wowing with his table magic - and DJ James Farmer who saw the night out with plenty of dancefloor fillers.
Highlights of the evening also included the first showing of an exclusive photographic exhibition by sponsor Karen Massey Photography. The Behind Closed Doors collection aims to create a visual narrative which brings awareness to the lived realities of survivors, while preserving their dignity and truth.
There was also the chance to get your photo taken wearing the Queen Cape, handmade by the Esther ladies earlier this year. The impressive patchwork is made up of more than 1,000 hand-stitched hearts and flowers and took over six months to complete.
Guest of honour, Deputy Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Clare Sawdon, said: "It was great to support this important charitable organisation and the incredible work that they do for women who are often struggling with lack of support, whether it be drug and alcohol dependencies, the breakdown of a relationship, escaping domestic abuse. The Esther Project is there for every woman.
"It was a fun evening raising money for such a great cause. Everyone had an amazing time and raised such an incredible sum."
Other sponsors of the event were The Paul Rigby Group; Pentlands Accountants; Chalmers News PR; The Leader Marketing Partnership in Henley-in-Arden and Bia's Kitchen Show.
Some of the businesses supporting on the evening included Vibe Immersive, Table Art, Box Factory, JN Balloons, Corner Cottage Bakery, Emmerson Press, Aubrey Allen and PSL Lighting.
Organiser Kerry Steward said: "Organising 'A Touch of Pink' has been an incredible experience, and after six months in the making, I am so deeply grateful to every single person who generously gave their time, creativity and energy to make the evening possible.
From those who helped plan and style the beautiful decorations, to the businesses and individuals who donated such thoughtful raffle and auction prizes, this event was truly built on community kindness.
"The level of support we received was overwhelming and directly contributed to the incredible fundraising total we were able to achieve. It has been inspiring to see so many people come together to support the vital work of The Esther Project and the women it serves. This event is a testament to what can be achieved when people unite behind a shared purpose, and I feel incredibly proud to have been part of it."
The main room was opened on the night by Laura, who performed 'Esther', a piece she wrote especially for the project last year. The music features prominently throughout Esther Project videos and beautifully captures the heart and spirit of Esther.
You can stream it on YouTube here.
Donations can still be made to The Esther Project online.
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