Grantham teenager Luke has a ball with the stars

Grantham teenager Luke Holland had a day to remember when he mixed with the stars at a special ball in London.

Fourteen-year-old Luke, who has cerebral palsy, a condition that affects his mobility, was a special guest at Caudwell Children’s annual Butterfly Ball, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel last Thursday.

At the glitzy, star-studded event he rubbed shoulders with singers Peter Andre, who hosted the evening, and Rachel Stevens, former England and Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman, and Coronation Street actress and Loose Women presenter Denise Welch.

The big fund-raising event, which attracted more than 800 people, raised over £1 million for the Staffordshire-based national charity Caudwell Children, which provides practical and emotional support for disabled children and their families.

The night culminated in performances by Paloma Faith and Craig David presents TS5.

Luke was delighted to pose for photographs with a selection of guests on the red carpet.

Trudi Beswick, chief executive of Caudwell Children, said that Luke appeared to enjoy the media limelight.

She added: “He happily posed on the red carpet with a number of celebrity guests and had a fantastic time; he was in his element.”

An auction during the evening, hosted by renowned charity auctioneer Charlie Ross, raised more than £1 million for the charity, which was founded by the entrepreneur and philanthropist John Caudwell.

Lots on offer in the exclusive auction included a seven-night stay on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island, an F1 racing experience at the 2018 Monaco Grand Prix and a seven-night stay in either Thailand or the Caribbean on John Caudwell’s superyacht Titania.

Proceeds from the event will be used to transform the lives of disabled children living in the UK through a range of services. Since 2000 the charity has provided over £37 million worth of support and helped over 20,000 families from across the UK.