Charity ball held at Burghley Park Golf Club near Stamford in memory of Baston man

A charity ball was held in memory of a man who was always ‘the life and soul of the party’.

To mark the month James Willis from Baston would have turned 35, his friends and family came together to raise money for a cancer charity.

James, who attended Queen Eleanor School now Stamford Welland Academy, was diagnosed in February 2018 with sarcoma, a rare cancer which spread to his lungs and became incurable.

He died in December of the same year aged 30.

Speaking at the event his sister, Nicola Rai, said: “He was an incredible, humble, hardworking and determined man who most of us here miss each and every day.

“I can honestly say that it never gets easier.”

As the five-year anniversary of her younger brother’s death approached, Nicola reminded herself of James’ ‘antics’ when coming up with an appropriate tribute to him.

“ I knew the only way to mark the occasion would be a party,” she said.

The event, held at Burghley Park Golf Club, was a sell out with more than 160 people attending.

It included a three-course meal, a casino table, raffle, music and a speech about James, who was described as ‘the life and soul of the party’.

Nicola is continuing to fundraise via a JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nicola-rai1.

Nicola said: “The overwhelming interest we have had for tickets has been a humbling and a reminder of how much James meant to so many people.”

More than £3,500 was raised which will go to Sarcoma UK, a national charity which funds research and offers support to anyone affected.