The money was raised through donations, raffle ticket sales and a spectacular silent auction with a wide array of items donated by local merchants.
“We were proud to be the title sponsors for this event,” said Pepe Viva, General Manager at Bliss Beach Club.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the club while supporting such a worthy cause. It was one of those rare evenings where a community of all ages, nationalities and backgrounds comes together towards a common goal. As I overheard one guest say… it’s all for the kids.”
All the proceeds from the event, sponsored by The Phuket News, Live 89.5FM, BB&B and the Andaman Wine Club, will go towards English language and after school programmes run by the Phuket Has Been Good to Us Foundation at two local government schools.
“I want to thank all of the sponsors and contributors for their generosity,” said Peter Hamilton, fundraising chair, board of directors.
“When I see the progress being made by the children who participate in the programme I know that their lives will be enriched because of the support of our donors and volunteers as well as the tireless work of our staff and teachers.”
“It was an evening I won’t soon forget. Everything from the entertainment to the delicious four‐course meal was incredible,” said supporter Sarah Pettigrew, who helped make the event a success.
“The Andaman Sea was the perfect backdrop for our mermaid greeters and the trapeze artists from Mid‐Air Circus Arts, who were a surprise for the guests. And, other than a few sprinkles, the weather cooperated beautifully and we raised a significant amount of money for a wonderful charity.”
Phuket Has Been Good To Us Foundation is a Thai registered charity, which aims to foster vocational opportunities for Thai children through English language education. English training is offered to over 860 children including 150 orphans who reside at the school.
The foundation’s mission is to provide the best possible English language education by putting qualified, fluent English speaking teachers in classrooms. The ultimate goal is to help Thai youth become capable and confident English speakers so that they can secure well-paid employment.
To find out more about the amazing work teachers and volunteers are doing please visit the website or like the Facebook page (where you can also see a list of all the merchants and contributors to the Bliss Beach Ball).