Path to Success, the charity founded by leading Indian philanthropist Anita Choudhrie, has raised more than £66,000 at its 2017 Gala Dinner.
The theme of this year’s dinner, held at the Chelsea Harbour Hotel, was ‘the Magic of Childhood’, with all proceeds from the night going towards disability charity Action for Kids and the London Titans Wheelchair Basketball Club.
200 guests attended the glittering event, with entertainment provided by ‘Incognito Artists’ a group of stars from London’s best-known West End shows who captivated the audience with an assortment of famous childhood songs from films including Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins.
The showcase performer of the evening was Emily Carey, who starred as ‘Young Diana’ in Hollywood Box Office hit Wonder Woman and will next year appear as Anastasia in the Netflix production Anastasia: Once Upon A Time.
In the audience, were Christy Gregan and Sophie Patterson, two young stars from the London Titans Wheelchair Basketball Club, who are pursuing a dream of competing for Team GB at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. They have each received £22,500 sponsorship from Path to Success to help them achieve their dream.
London Titans has produced over 50 Team GB players, but receive no central sports funding. The money raised by Path to Success is crucial in helping to provide coaching fees, court hire and the specially-modified wheelchairs used to play the sport.
The second charity supported by Path for Success is Action for Kids, which provides wheelchairs and mobility equipment to disabled children and young adults. Last year Path to Success allocated more than £39,000 to buy nine special wheelchairs, giving children independence, mobility and a chance to live life to its fullest. This year money raised for Action for Kids will support a £19,000 wheelchair for Zoe, 26, and a £16,000 wheelchair for Ahmed, 22, as well as a number of other young people.
Zoe suffers from Cerebral Palsy and needs a new wheelchair to help with her breathing, posture and digestion and to strengthen her bones. Ahmed has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a muscle-wasting condition which affects all his muscles, and hopes to go to Old Trafford to watch Manchester United – which will only be possible in a new power chair.
Path to Success was founded by Mrs Choudhrie in 2006, and supports a different cause each year – with a focus on education and disability. The charity has raised more than £400,000 over the last eleven years, making a huge impact on the lives of wheelchair users in both the UK and in India, through Mrs Choudhrie’s work with the Amar Jyoti Trust.
Mrs Choudhrie said:
“I am grateful to everyone whom made our annual dinner such a magical event. We want to inspire fantastic individuals like Christy and Sophie just as they have inspired us with their passion and ambition.
We hope to pledge the money raised to support two more players to follow their Team GB Paralympian dream, and to provide more wheelchairs to the long list of Action For Kids recipients, who all deserve the chance to live more independent lives.
Path to Success is more determined than ever to support those who most need it in society, and to help people turn their inability into ability”.
